StargateFic100: 100 Slices of Sam and Daniel
by drgemini86
Summary: 100 standalone oneshots about Sam and Daniel. Unofficial entry for StargateFic100. SamDaniel
1. She

**StargateFic100 – 100 Slices of Sam and Daniel**

_**Summary: **100 standalone oneshots about Sam and Daniel. Unofficial entry for LJ's StargateFic100_

_**Pairing: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **K+ – M_

_**Seasons: **Any_

_**Categories: **New Romance, Established Relationship, UST (maybe...), Friendship (see prev.)_

_**Genres: **Action/Adventure, A/U, Drama, Family, Fluff, Holidays/Special Occasions, Post-Meridian Angst, PWP, Relationship, Romance, Teaminess, Thoughts, Tragedy_

_**A/N: **Just one of those 'let's see if I can do it' things. If I were older, it would be on my bucket list, lol. As I like working in my own time rather than anyone else's, this isn't an official entry for Fic100._

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**Prompt #085 – She**

_**Summary: **Daniel likes the morning after, but not as much as the night before. Fluffy oneshot_

_**Pairing: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **10_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Fluff, PWP, Relationship, Romance_

_**A/N: **dabbling in present tense again... Was going to be for the birthday prompt, but I think it fits 'She' better. Thanks to Thraesja for spotting some wee mix-ups._

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Daniel awakes. He awakes with a warm fuzzy feeling and a drowsy smile. He likes feeling warm and fuzzy, because it means that he had some fun the night before. A lot of fun. With that thought in mind, he finally opens his eyes, content to bask in the warmth and security he feels just lying there, an arm around her. Though in that one gesture, he's protecting her, he still feels very much protected himself. And even though she has her back to him, he knows very well that that's only because she trusts him not only with her back, but with everything that she has, and everything that she is.

He feels playful and wants to wake her up so they can resume the events of the night before. Only he knows that she got home late last night, having spent the best part of two days working on something which escapes him for the time being. He decides against waking her up, and just watches her.

He isn't a young man. He hasn't been for a long time, but she makes him feel young. Within the blink of an eye he feels as though he is in his twenties again. He almost believes he is until he remembers that his real twenties weren't nearly as fun. But being here, being like this, makes him feel much better about taking one more step into the valley of the middle-aged. Because he has her, and hopefully always will.

He smiles as she shifts in her sleep. She drowsily mutters something about overly sentimental archaeologists as she turns over. She instinctively snuggles into his embrace, her head on his chest. He smiles again as he feels an overwhelming feeling of coming home in that one single gesture, the perilous nature of their jobs seeming a galaxy away, for the time being at least.

Her hand slowly caresses his stomach.

He closes his eyes, his lips twitching into a blissful smile as her hand goes lower, to the line of hair running across the expanse of skin beyond his navel. His body can't help reacting. He's going to have to move her hand soon so he doesn't inadvertently wake her with a very male reaction to her caresses. He's about to when her hand dramatically lowers. He groans at the sensation of caresses too precise to be done by someone asleep, even if it is someone who has regularly done things seemingly more improbable.

He opens his eyes to see iridescent orbs of bluish-grey twinkling at him mischievously. With a hand cupping her cheek, he kisses her. He murmurs, closing his eyes as his stomach muscles contract yet again, "Mmm. 'morning, Colonel-Doctor."

He groans lightly as his head rolls back into the pillow. Appearing smug at her handiwork, she returns his kiss, and gives him a few more. She replies, far more coherently than he can manage in his present state of being, "'morning, Doc." She gently begins to nuzzle his throat as he throws his head back once again in sheer ecstasy. "What do you want to do on your day off?"

She really does know how to push his buttons... but he can't help thinking albeit frustratedly that some days she really does seem oblivious. One look into those eyes however remind him of just how teasing she can be. And he smiles. Because he knows exactly how to turn the tables.


	2. Death

**Prompt #030 – Death**

_**Summary: **In the kingdom of hope, there is no winter, but the rain will still fall_

_**Pairing: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Season 10_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Angst, Drama, Family, Relationship, Tragedy_

_**A/N: **for the poor kid involved in the hit and run a couple of miles from where I live. RIP_

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Through the glass, the city was visible; the city full of life, full of people going about their lives as though it were just another day. Of course it was just one more day, one more time that the Earth had rotated on its axis. But rationality had left town long ago. In its place was grief far more raw than the freshest of battle wounds; more bitter than the taste of the cake that Cassie had made many summers ago when she had mistaken salt for sugar.

Sam blinked back resurgent tears as she looked out of the car window at the sunny day. The sun didn't seem as bright; the trees not as green; the smiles of the people going about their business seeming fake. Her world had darkened considerably, and she stood on the verge of dropping into the endless roaring oblivion that lie before her. It felt as though she had lost a huge part of herself, a part that she would never regain.

Five words haunted her.

_'It should have been me.'_

Those five words were naturally in vain, but they still stirred in her consciousness. Stirred and whirled until the silent words almost deafened her with its desperate intensity. Had she been the one, she wouldn't be the one left with a deep unending pain that no-one else could understand. The tears flowed faster and more copiously, but she had more pressing issues on her mind than wiping them away.

She hadn't realised that the car had stopped until she felt a hand on her knee. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. Even if she was in an emotional state to do so, she didn't have to look to know who it was. She heard Daniel's voice. It sounded as though it was from so very far away, and not from the driving seat right next to her. The deep concern evident in his voice agitated her pain. Somehow it didn't feel right.

"You sure you wanna do this?"

Sam sniffed and replied in a non-committal whisper, "Sure."

Oh, he didn't understand. How could he? How could he know the pain of losing someone whom she had carried for three trimesters? How he could know how it felt to lose someone who she had pushed out into the world; who she had cared for, and loved more than life itself? Of course he was hurting... but not even someone as empathic as he could comprehend what she was going through.

Somehow she had managed to leave the car, and she found herself walking up the stony path. She was dimly aware of Daniel following behind her. She hugged herself tightly, all too aware that she was surrounded by the resting places of so many others whose loved ones may or may not be grieving for them. Some whose light had shined its course, and others whose light had been extinguished far too soon.

The sun was high in the sky, the trees were gently swaying in the breeze. Various floral scents drifted in and out of her consciousness. It would be a long time, if at all, until she would allow herself to appreciate the little things around her again.

Her conflicting thoughts and self pity paused instinctively as she reached that dreadful place. There was no stone yet. Just a mound of freshly turned over earth, and already many flowers and toys from the rest of their family. Sam kneeled in the grass and straightened a bunch of posies left by her brother. As a distraction from the grief that constantly ate away at her, she set to work arranging the newer additions to the plot.

And then came her own additions.

A smaller version of a cherished soft toy. The original held too many memories for her to part with it. And a small bunch of sunflowers.

She closed her eyes and it felt as though months had peeled back to reveal a brighter past. A past where she didn't hurt; where she had no cause to hurt. What she would do now to have muddy footprints on the kitchen floor; to find crayons, toys and flowers in the fridge; to blame Daniel's genes on every exhibited oddity.

She closed her eyes tighter. Those days would never come back. They were filled now with nothing but ghosts of what had been, and what might have been. She cried harder, bitter sobs wracking her body. Bitter regret wracked her soul. She shouldn't have come here. But she had to, otherwise the regret and guilt would have burned her soul far more, if that was indeed possible.

She found herself in a familiar embrace, and she cried even harder. Minutes must have gone by until she realised that Daniel was crying too albeit in that quiet way of his. This startling observation brought home that perhaps he knew her pain at least a little more than she had assumed. She held onto him tighter, suddenly feeling very scared that she would lose her anchor; the one person who had kept her relatively sane throughout.

And now, he was all she had left. If she were to lose him...

No, she couldn't think about it. She daren't.

But she did, and into the slough of despair she dropped. Further and further into the darkness, her soul smashing into a myriad shards. The shards cascaded across the endless darkness, bouncing and splicing, scattering and slicing. Dark horses raced across the unseen through strong squalls and heavy rainfall, the clattering of their hooves deafening as they passed her by. The roaring oblivion returned, all-consuming in its fury.

And then the raging tempest stilled.

Sam opened her eyes to find herself still kneeling at the graveside. At her side, Daniel kneeled, an arm draped protectively around her shoulders. Her tears subsiding a little, she eyed a small potted fir that Teal'c had left, and a cross that Jack had left; white carnations from Cam, and an angel snowglobe from Vala. She sighed. The despair and rawness of grief had left her entire soul with a deep unrelenting ache.

But as always, she turned to Daniel for comfort, for an explanation of some nonsensical spectacle.

She said softly, "Daniel, what am I going do now?"

He sighed, reminding her again, and all too painfully that she wasn't the only one hurting. She rested his head on his shoulder, and he held her tighter. He said nothing for a while, his cheek resting against her fair head. At last he spoke. He spoke so quietly that Sam struggled to hear him, but hear him she did. And she felt the pain in his words and in his voice.

"Oh Sam... the world will move on. Men will grow old. _We'll_ grow old... but we'll never forget her. We'll never forget that ray of light that was so abruptly taken from us."

He always seemed to know what to say, regardless of his own pain. She cried again and he held her tighter still, reassuring her of his presence; reassuring her that although the pain will never go, she would eventually reach a point where she could just about live with it.

She said, "It's wrong. We shouldn't be burying our child. It's unnatural." She paused, her ever present guilt gnawing at her. "I should have seen that car coming, Daniel. I should have seen it. I..."

Daniel closed his eyes, but silent tears still ran down his cheeks. He kissed her hair and then gazed at the chilling reminder of their loss. He said, "There was nothing you could have done, Sam. Nothing. It was an accident. I keep playing that fateful day over and over in my mind... just seeing whether I could have done anything. As hard as it was to accept, there was nothing that either of us could have done."

He shut his eyes again as the pain in his chest worsened. He said, "But I wish for all the world that it had been me. As it is, I'm lucky to still have you. I could have lost both of you."

His voice trembled, and at last the dam gave way. His emotions came forth, blasting and obliterating the wall that he had tried to keep in place for Sam's sake. Unlike in the past, there was nowhere to hide. And so he cried. He cried harder than he had, alone, in the confines of his office after Doctor Lam had finally given up and a nurse had called time of death.

Sam turned to face him, feeling a deep shock at seeing Daniel so openly upset. It felt wrong. Not just because he had always strived to hide his pain from her. She had seen him cry on occasion, but not like this. She hugged him tightly, trying to find the strength that he had exhibited for her sake earlier.

The sun began to dip below the horizon in the western skies. The sky was a dusky combination of orange and warm pink. Rays of light formed a tall corona, the rays reaching through fluffy clouds as the sun went through the rituals surrounding its nightly slumber. Sunset found Daniel and Sam gazing at the resting place in the last light of day, their arms around each other. They exchanged a long look; a look which comforted and reminded. Wordlessly, they then turned to behold the sight of the sun slowly dropping behind Pike's Peak in the distance. Sam allowed herself the smallest of smiles as she rested her head against Daniel's shoulder once more.

The walk back to the car was a stark contrast from the walk away from it. They walked hand in hand, neither saying a word. The time for speaking had passed. What was left, however, was an understanding. An understanding that although today was dark, and tomorrow also would be dark... the days would eventually brighten.

But never to the intensity that they had been.

Daniel drove them home, now talking a lot more than he had in recent times. His voice however was tainted with the unending pain that they shared. As twilight fell upon the city, Sam gazed out of the car window, this time feeling more hope than despair. As the cemetery disappeared, giving way to the open road, and the rest of the city, tears returned to Sam's eyes. And then she said something that she had said many times before, albeit before their world had been ripped asunder. She whispered softly, for the last time,

"Goodnight, Grace."


	3. Truths

**Prompt #098 – Truths**

_**Summary: **Daniel's words affect people. They can make you think. They can make you act. They can make you laugh. They can also make you cry._

_**Pairing: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Season 2_

_**Category: **UST_

_**Genres: **Angst, Drabble, Drama, Episode-related, Thoughts_

_**A/N: **from Sam's PoV in Need. Double drabble._

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You prowl my lab with a wild glare that quite frankly strikes fear deep within me. You're not you. You're not the Daniel Jackson that I have come to know during these past two years. The mild-mannered, determined man who strived to do the right thing, and who worked non-stop to find his wife again. But you can't even do that now, unfocussed and determined to leave as you are. The _princess_ has got you hooked, and all you can think about is _her _and how you have to get back to _her_ and _it._

You say things, so determined you are to go back. I know you don't mean those hurtful words. The Daniel Jackson I know... you and he aren't in the same universe. It's the withdrawal making you say those things. You're desperate for a fix. You'll say anything – do anything – to attain that goal.

But then comes the words that aren't as easy to ignore as the rest.

"_You've never really known what love is have you?"_

And you leave, neither realising, nor caring for that matter, what you've left behind. The truth is, Daniel, you're right. I never knew. Until I met you.


	4. Choices

**Prompt #086 – Choices**

_**Summary: **SG-1 makes choices every day, ranging from potato orders to whether to switch on unknown alien devices... to choices that affect every man, woman, child, and unclassified in the entire galaxy_

_**Pairing: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Post-movies, vaguely_

_**Crossover: **SG-1/Atlantis_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U,Angst, Drama, Episode-related, Family, Thoughts_

_**A/N: **Loosely based on season 3 of Torchwood... but in no way justifying Captain Jack's actions. And I've spared you the gruesomeness of what happened in Day Five. Beware, spoilers._

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"There has to be another way. Please. Daniel, not him. Please. Tell him. Tell him!"

Sam stood helpless for once as the life of her child hung in the balance. Her only son. The alternative was to watch, just as helplessly, as _they_ took a tenth of the children of America, and of every country around the world. And that was just the start. If these beings weren't stopped, children from all over the galaxy were at risk. They were at risk right now.

Daniel couldn't look at her. He could barely look at the boy stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by a bank of computers. The boy trying to look brave, but confused by his mother's pleas and anguish.

McKay's galled voice filtered into his consciousness. "We need a child. I'm sorry, Doctor Jackson, but... Jake is the only child left in the SGC."

Daniel raised a hand, silently demanding the physicist stop talking. The archaeologist looked to Jack, who stared blankly at the boy. Daniel said, his mouth suddenly dry,

"Jack?"

Jack shook his head, saying nothing aloud, but saying plenty silently. He couldn't be the one to make the decision. He had already lost a son; something which he blamed himself for every day of his life – the pain and the guilt never leaving him.

Daniel looked at Teal'c, who strongly albeit reluctantly held back a hysterical Sam. Teal'c couldn't even meet his gaze. The great Teal'c of Chulak, who had instigated the Jaffa rebellion. Who had committed so many brave deeds during his long life. Who now couldn't look his friend in the eye because he knew what had to be done.

Daniel looked at Cam, the greying Colonel just shaking his head and turning away, raising his eyes to the ceiling. Perhaps looking for some sign, for some idea of what to do, what path to take. But God had left town long ago, right before governments around the world had decided to capitulate to the alien threat.

He heard the Colonel murmur, "May God have mercy on our souls."

And then there was Vala, who said nothing. But she cried silently. Crying the tears of a mother who had lost, and who at one time had chosen to believe that her loss was in part necessary.

Daniel closed his eyes as tears began to fall. The decision rested on his shoulders now. To decide the fate of his only son, or the fate of millions of children around the world for all eternity.

He looked at Teal'c and nodded. The Jaffa nodded and escorted a screaming Sam from the room. Daniel closed his eyes once again as Jack, Cam and Vala moved to stand around him. He could still hear his wife's screams, and he turned to McKay.

Daniel said, "Is there anyway you can..."

McKay, looking sad himself, shook his head. For once, he spoke sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Daniel. The aliens used children to talk through... They only way to end all of this is to send the wave through the kid. As I've already said, it wouldn't work with you."

Daniel's jaw tightened, and he looked at the boy standing in the centre of the room. He then looked down at the console in front of him. With tears running down his cheeks, and Sam's screams and cries coming from outside, Daniel pushed the button.


	5. Parents

**Prompt #027 – Parents**

_**Summary: **Somedays, they would rather face an entire battalion of Jaffa. At least Jaffa didn't scream so much. Fluffy oneshot_

_**Pairing: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Future_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Family, Fluff, Relationship_

_**A/N: **A similar plot was in my head for a future Jackson Junior spin-off... but I'm tired..._

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The morning was a caffeine fuelled blur. Children were washed and dressed, food hastily prepared. Hunts for lunchboxes and Grace's Spanish assignment resulted in the living room descending into further chaos. Screams were heard as Jake pulled Janet's pigtails. Louder screams were heard when Janet then punched Jake in the face. Headaches all round as Jack screamed for attention while his mother attempted to listen to a phone call from the SGC. Nick promptly regurgitated milk solids down his father's new shirt, while Claire discovered that scissors could cut through a phone line.

At last, all was quiet – children cleaned up and shuffled off to school, or to the houses of helpful surrogate uncles.

Daniel and Sam stood in amongst the aftermath, staring at it in horror. A part of them, however, also missed the hubbub. They then exchanged a look, and Daniel tiredly asked, "How long 'til they hit college?"

Sam wearily sank down into a chair. She said, eventually looking up at him, "Eighteen years."

He grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet. As she regarded him curiously, he led her out of the room. He said as she followed, "Well then, I suggest we get as much sleep as we can."

Sam suddenly scrunched up her nose. She laughed tiredly, and remarked, "As long as you change that shirt... eww..."


	6. Escape

**Prompt #099 – Escape**

_**Summary: **They say its better to face one's demons than to flee them, but sometimes, running is easier. Part 2 of the 'Choices' prompt_

_**Pairing: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Future_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Angst, Drama, Family, Relationship, Sequel, Tragedy_

_**A/N: **Thanks to EventHorizon7 for suggesting a sequel to 'Choices'_

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Daniel walked alone through the park. In his peripheral vision, he could see children chasing each other around trees; frolicking in the sunlight; throwing and catching balls in the grass; laughing and screaming. He stopped walking, and looked on wistfully as a child fell over. As the child bawled, Daniel watched as the mother rushed to pick her up, and proceeded to fuss over her.

In his mind's eye, Daniel saw Sam picking up a bawling Jake. The mental image made him turn away in shame at what he had done. He carried on walking, now reminded more and more of his loss. Because of him, these children were alive and safe. But, also because of him, his son was dead.

A sudden burst of heavy rain was heralded by a clap of thunder. Children and parents went scurrying for shelter. Daniel, however, continued to walk, neither caring nor acknowledging the change in the weather. He had lost his son, his pride and joy. One of his reasons for living. His other reason for living was currently giving him the cold shoulder as she herself became lost in a grief that even he could only imagine.

He could still see her eyes after it had happened, after that dreadful moment when all had died down. She had run into the room, Teal'c not having the heart to stop her. She had cradled Jake's lifeless body and sobbed as Daniel had stood helpless, McKay and his friends turning away. She had then glared up at Daniel, a glare so fierce, but he couldn't even speak to her. All he could do was sink to his knees in absolute despair.

Daniel now found himself on his knees again; this time in the rain. His whole body soaking wet; tears mixing with rain water. While this world was safe, as were countless others, his own world had long since died. Everywhere he went, everything he did, held strong memories and reminders of another life, now lost to him.

As the rain fell harder, his tears followed suit. He collapsed into the grass and the mud, wanting so badly for the searing pain to end.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel distractedly poked at his dinner, not feeling quite up to eating it. The kitchen, once bright and full of laughter and muddy footprints, was now cold and bleak. The heavy silence weighed upon him, crushing him under its deadly mass. He hesitantly raised his head to look at the person opposite.

Sam, not meeting his gaze, also pushed her dinner around her plate. She was quiet now, but he knew that she still cried in the dead of night, curled up on Jake's bed with the boy's favourite teddy bear. He had tried to reach out to her, to help her and himself, but she had pushed him away. And he had let her. It was all his fault.

But things couldn't stay like this.

Daniel cleared his throat, and said quietly, "Sam..."

Sam's fork dropped onto the plate with a rather sharp _clink_. She got up and cleared her plate, dumping her dinner into the bin. She then washed her plate, and left the room. As she did so, she said in a flat voice,

"I'm going to be late home."

Daniel closed his eyes as he heard the sound of the front door slamming shut, and then Sam's car pulling away. And all was silent again but for the ticking of the clock, and the hum of the fridge. From somewhere outside, he could hear the sounds of children playing, of neighbours arguing, and of a lawnmower.

He pushed his plate away and sighed. He couldn't live like this. Everything reminded him of what he had lost, and his own wife wouldn't speak to him. Even their friends had kept their distance; perhaps themselves feeling guilt at what had happened; at the inevitable choice that they had silently supported.

Loneliness and guilt had him in a death grip so dark and so intense. There was no way out, but he knew things couldn't remain the way they were.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Upstairs, Daniel's bag was open on his bed as he went about packing it. He tossed clothes and a few other belongings in it. He paused and then sank down onto the bed in despair. The bed now so cold since Sam had started sleeping in Jake's room. He, however, had found it impossible to set foot in that room, but then Sam didn't share his guilt.

He threw some more things into his bag, but paused once again. He debated whether to take the things that Sam had given him. The azure-blue sweater that she had given him during their first Christmas together. The Rolex she had given him as a wedding present. The hieroglyph dictionary that had been a birthday present.

He removed them and more from his bag, laying them out on the bed. Instead, he placed a framed photograph of her and of Jake in his bag. He then lifted the picture once again, looking at it as he tried to smile at the memories.

He lightly stroked the glass, tears surging in his eyes as he remembered that day. The sun had been bright. They had frolicked in the sand under the deep blue sky. They had walked, the boy in between them, the water around their ankles. Mother, father, and son. Sam had squealed when Daniel had splashed her, and then the three of them had chased each other in the shallows. Daniel then had wanted to capture such a perfect moment, and even the picture didn't do it justice. That day had been so perfect; so blissful... so innocent.

He placed the picture in his bag once more and zipped it up. Lifting the bag, he looked around the room one more time, feeling so very desolate.

Out on the landing, he stared at Jake's door. He had never been able to enter the room since that fateful day, and he was about to resume walking, when something made him open the door. Dropping his bag in the doorway, Daniel entered the room.

Sam had kept the room clean, taking care to dust every reminder of what they had lost. The room had become a shrine of sorts – favourite toys, and lego and clay models lined up on shelves and the windowsill. Certificates from school lined the walls, along with framed photographs of Jake during holidays and other special moments.

Daniel's eyes fell on a picture of a newborn Jake in the SGC Infirmary. Underneath it, he had written the boy's name, date of birth, birth weight, and the following dedication: '_Named for his grandfather, to carry on his spirit..._'

Daniel turned, bombarded by pictures, reminders, flashbacks of the boy, of a life that had been so much better than this endless desolation and emptiness. It made him feeling dizzy, and his chest ached at the memories that were now a lifetime away. He sank down onto the bed, holding onto the purple and white teddy bear that been a present from the boy's uncle.

And he cried, sobbing as he had done whenever he had been alone after that dreadful day.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel held onto his bag as he sat in the departures lounge. Around him were a sea of faces; families going on holidays; couples going on their honeymoons or weekends away; individuals on business trips or trips home to their families. Every so often, he would catch a snippet of conversation; some in English; others in different languages.

"... I heard there's riots in Iran..."

"... Mom! Cindy pulled my hair! Mom!"

"... Oh my God! I so can't believe you said that!"

"... Have you ever tried asking for _chips_ in a McDonalds out here?"

Daniel glanced at his watch, frowning a little as he wondered whether the plane was running late. He sighed and looked around, now questioning his decision to leave. His friends, at least, would no doubt have issue with him when they found out. But he didn't know about Sam. As far as he could see, he was quite possibly doing her a favour. She didn't need the pain of dining and living with the man responsible for her son's death.

In a way, it felt as though the last chunk of his life had come full circle. He was now returning to Egypt, like he would have done had Catherine Langford not persuaded him to go with her. This time, Egypt wouldn't involve chasing a suspected Goa'uld and then encountering a Goa'uld possessing a former girlfriend. This time, Egypt would just involve Daniel Jackson, purveyor of crazy theories and nonsense, digging in the sand.

At long last, there was an announcement that his flight was now boarding. He quickly got up and jogged in the direction of his gate, chastising himself for not concentrating enough to hear a preceding announcement.

He reached the desk and handed his ticket over. He had just received his boarding pass when a hand shot past him, handing a ticket to the woman behind the desk. Daniel turned and gaped in surprise on seeing Sam standing next to him, a bag slung over her shoulder. She didn't say anything to him; only saying a 'thank you' on receiving her boarding pass.

Daniel was about to speak, to question her presence, but she silently gestured for him to walk. They walked together in silence through the doors, and on the long walk to the gate. At last, Daniel spoke, glancing at her every so often in case she wasn't real.

"What are you doing here?"

Sam slowly reached for his hand. Daniel looked at her and then at their hands in surprise. Sam spoke quietly, pain evident in her eyes. She said softly,

"You might not remember, Daniel, but once, long ago, when Cassie came into our lives, you told me that I didn't have to do it alone." She turned to look at him with tears shining in her eyes. Her voice grew a little hoarse with emotion. "I'll admit that I haven't been good on that promise just lately." She cleared her throat and tightened her grip on his hand. "But as much as I've been scared to do so, this is my path to walk too. At your side."

Daniel couldn't speak as tears silently began to roll down his cheeks. Eventually, he managed to say, his eyes on the ground, "I don't know how you can, Sam. I..."

She sighed, appearing troubled. She said, "Daniel..." She sniffed as she too began to cry. "... it wasn't your fault." They stopped, facing one another in their grief. Their bags on the floor, she held his hands. "You, Daniel Jackson, are far stronger than I ever will be. I wouldn't have done it, and they would have taken the children; and then even more children in the future. Like you have always done, you do what has to be done."

He shook his head. "That doesn't change a thing, Sam. Not one thing. Jake's gone."

She reached up to wipe his tears. She said, "I know that." Her voice wavered. "I know that. But we'll always have the memories of what we once had." She eventually managed a smile as they gathered their bags, and she reached for his hand again as they resumed walking.

Trying to smile, she said, "Come on, I want to see the place you've been threatening to take me for so many years."

Daniel once again found it difficult to speak. Instead, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. As they joined the queue, he slipped an arm around her, his head resting against hers. Sam smiled a little as she slipped an arm around his waist. They glanced at each other, and then onwards as they stood on the verge of a new life.

Together.


	7. Work

**Prompt #089 – Work**

_**Summary: **They shared the good times and the bad, and the in-betweens... SamDaniel, CamVala, Teal'cIsh'ta_

_**Pairing: **Sam/Daniel, Cam/Vala, Teal'c/Ish'ta, Landry/Kim_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Future_

_**Spoilers: **Continuum, SGA season 4-5_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Angst, Drama, Relationship, Romance_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The sky blazed over their heads in a passionate fusion of deep shades of purple. As vibrant shades of pink struggled to burst to the fore, the bluish light of the twin moons shone brighter as they slowly rose in the sky. Sam reached for Daniel's hand as they stood on a grassy riverbank, their eyes on the heavens.

Daniel glanced at her, smiling a little before looking at the sky once again. They flinched and then marvelled at the sight of bright sparks suddenly shooting across the large expanse of sky. Sam grinned at the meteor shower. In an awed voice, she whispered,

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

With a blissful smile of his own, he replied, "Sure is."

He gazed at her, noticing that she had pulled her dog tags from underneath her top. She had picked up her engagement ring, her dog tags and wedding ring dangling like a bunch of keys. In the light of the alien moons, the diamond twinkled like a star, and she smiled at the many memories associated with the stone.

She looked up at him, feeling his hand on her hair. Her tags dropped to her chest as he kissed her, and she smiled as she held onto him. As their hands began to roam, the two momentarily forgetting about an agreed-upon discretion whilst on duty, they suddenly let go of each other on hearing gunfire and energy weapon blasts in the distant.

As they ran back to camp, brandishing their sidearms, their radios crackled into life. They heard Cam yelling over more gunfire, "Hate to break up the party, Jackson and Jackson, but guess who showed up for dinner!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The five members of SG-1 awaited their fates in their dank cell; their weapons and radios having been seized from them. Vala rattled the bars every few minutes with a dramatic flourish, a bloody cut on her face. A bloodied Teal'c silently brooded as he angrily eyed the many heavily armed guards lined up outside the cell. A bruised and battered Cam paced the floor quietly but impatiently, having earlier been rewarded with zat blasts and beatings for his more vocal efforts. Daniel sat on the floor quietly, nursing an injured arm. A bruised Sam, meanwhile, was seated next to him as she tried to work out an escape plan.

As Vala tried flirting with one of the guards, suddenly more guards arrived, one of them unlocking the cell. The seated members of SG-1 struggled to their feet. One of the guards entered the room, flanked by others, aiming their weapons at the team. He said, looking at Sam,

"You will come with us."

Both Cam and Daniel instantly voiced their objections; the latter offering himself in his wife's place. But, they were both pistol-whipped into silence, while Teal'c and Vala were physically restrained. Some guards roughly hauled Sam to her feet, the astrophysicist loudly protesting as she tried albeit in vain to fight her way out. In the confusion, Teal'c snatched a guard's zat and proceeded to zat him and others.

However, Teal'c, and the rest of the team were overcome by their captors. Sam and Vala were roughly snatched from the cell while the men of the team were pushed back. Daniel and Cam reached through the bars helplessly, yelling Sam's and Vala's names.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam awoke with a start, muttering something incomprehensible. Realising after a moment that she was actually safe, she lie back down again, breathing a little heavily. After taking a moment to compose herself, she opened her eyes and looked around. A voice coming from somewhere to her left focussed her attention on the next bed in the Infirmary. From it, Vala waved, and said wearily,

"Finally, some non-medical company..." Vala gazed at Sam sympathetically. "How are you feeling?"

Sam groaned, replying as pain flooded her body, "Not good." She looked around, only seeing Carolyn and some nurses going about their duties. "Where are the boys?"

Vala smiled weakly. She said, "Well... Muscles is strutting about the base showing everyone his scars. As for your fantastically cute husband, and my absolutely sexy boyfriend... they've been ordered to leave for a couple of hours. Something about Daniel stealing jell-o."

Sam chuckled at the remark. She then said, her smile fading, "Close call out there, huh?"

Vala nodded, her smile gone. She said, "A close call it most definitely was. But as Cameron frequently tells me... this is what we do." Vala suddenly propped herself up on an elbow. "Hey... you know, you could have done anything with your life... if you could go back, would you change any of it?"

Sam looked up at the ceiling for one thoughtful moment. She thought back over her life; the pain, and the tears; the struggles and losses; the lost dreams; but also the hope and the love, and the opportunities for closure. She replied, looking at Vala again, "Maybe the spells of imprisonment and torture... those were not a lot of fun..."

Vala quipped with a grin, "Depends on the captor." She sighed as she glanced downwards. "Well, there are probably a lot of things I would change, but then I keep thinking that if I hadn't been _snaked_ as Jack calls it, I would've had a boring life. I would've married some absolutely delightful but dull man, and had a lot of kids. I would've cooked and cleaned endlessly, and spent my life at home. I wouldn't have travelled through galaxies, had so many adventures... and I most certainly would never have encountered Daniel and the rest of you people."

Sam smiled briefly, and then she appeared wistful. She said, "We do some amazing stuff. You know, if I hadn't been assigned to Stargate Command, I quite possibly would have winded up married to Jonas. I would have had to cut back somehow with my career. But now... working here, and being with Daniel, it's like I can have everything. An amazing career, and I have someone to come home to... or with..."

Vala lie back down with a grin, resting her the back of her head in her hands. She said, "It does make things easier, I'll admit. After a particularly horrid mission, there's someone there other than your team-mates, who you can chill with."

Sam snorted derisively, and said, "You guys do anything but chill! It's like you spend every waking moment outside of work, sometimes during work, yelling at each other."

Vala turned to Sam with a wink. "Hey, yelling has its upsides... angry sex with Cameron is mind-blowing."

An embarrassed Sam chuckled a little. She remarked quietly, "You should see Daniel after a stressful day at the office..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

At home that night, Sam sat up in bed, flicking through a scientific journal. She grimaced a little at the pain in her shoulder and elsewhere on her body. She shifted a little, reaching under her pyjama top to smooth a bandage down. With a sigh, annoyed at her limited mobility in general, she resumed reading the journal.

Daniel entered the room slowly, hobbling on crutches. Sam, concerned, was about to get up to help him when he said, "Don't, Sam... you know, after all these years, I should own the patent on these things..."

She laughed a little and hugged him as he sat down on the bed. With her arms still around him, she asked, "How's everyone?"

He appeared mildly amused as he leaned his crutches against the wall. He said, "Well... Teal'c's refusing to sleep in the guest room with Mitchell and Vala."

She laughed again, blushing a little. "I hope our shared wall doesn't shake again. The last time, no-one else could get any sleep for laughing." She sighed quietly. "So, is Teal'c on the couch again?" He nodded, and she said adamantly, "He could sleep with us again. Did you tell him?"

"Oh, I did. He pulled the same face as he did when he refused to sleep with those guys. He said that he'd rather not wake up and..." He cleared his throat and deepened his voice in an imitation of their team-mate. "... witness an act of procreation."

She laughed, asking, "He said that?"

He looked up at her, and spoke in his normal voice. "Oh yes." He sighed. "He's just impatient to spend some more time with Ish'ta. I know how he feels..."

As she helped him to lie on the bed, she remarked sceptically, "You'd rather hang out with Ish'ta too?"

He stared at her confusion, and then he rolled his eyes. He then said as she sat next to him, "There's only person I'd rather hang out with. She happens to have a twisted sense of humour." He smiled a little, looking up at her as she smoothed his hair back. "No, I just understand how he feels... because I feel like that after missions when you're on the Hammond... or when you were in Atlantis. This is like the first time since you've come back that we've been on a proper mission together – I'm not sure going to witness Ba'al's extraction ceremony counted as one. It feels good." He grimaced a little. "... although painful too with our track record." He looked up at her again. "How are you feeling?"

She leaned back against the wall with a sigh. "Well, it's certainly painful. But this is what we do, right?" She grinned as she looked down at him again. "I've missed this... so much. The five of us going through the 'gate... okay, so granted, I haven't missed the injuries..."

He hummed in agreement, and she asked him, "What about you? How's your leg... and your arm?" She gently rubbed his bandaged left upper arm.

He shrugged and gazed up at her earnestly. "My leg's okay... it's only a fracture. As for my arm, I think I'm gonna get another cool scar." His optimistic expression faded. "I was scared. You know I don't like being scared... not least about you."

She nodded thoughtfully as she looked down at him. "I know. I was scared about you too. But this is our life... this is what we do. Honestly, I can't imagine doing anything else now."

He sighed, his hands cradling the back of his head. He said, "Sadly, me too." He pursed his lips a little, and then asked, "What about you? When are you due back on the Hammond?"

She shrugged. "It's not important." She picked up her journal again, flicking through the pages once more.

Daniel sat up, confused by the change in her behaviour. He frowned, and asked, "Sam? What is it?"

She glanced at him and then back at her journal. She said, looking at him, "Jack offered me a new job."

He appeared even more confused. "Ja... wait, when was this?"

She replied casually, "He called while I was in the Infirmary. He wants me back at the SGC."

He smiled and hugged her. He said with a relieved smile, "That's great news!"

His smile faded when he noticed that she didn't appear as happy as he did. He realised something, and then said, "Wait... wait... you just said _SGC_. He wants you back at the SGC? What, as a scientific advisor or...?"

She finally put her journal down, and she looked at him, a troubled expression on her face. She said, "... as your boss. As _everyone's_ boss." He stared at her in shock, and she continued, "I haven't accepted yet. Told him I'd think about it... that I'd talk to you about it first." She smiled briefly. "He made the usual snide remarks about you thinking too much."

He frowned again. He said, "What about General Landry?"

She shrugged, replying, "He's retiring... he's going to live with his wife. As for Jack, well, you know, he's retiring soon too. Before he goes, he just wants someone from, as he put it, the Scooby gang, at the top." She sighed. "It means though that I won't have much time to be on the Hammond, or to go on missions with you guys. But I guess being 'The Man' has its upsides."

He held her hand and grinned happily. She frowned at the change in his demeanour, and asked, "Okay, Daniel, has Carolyn given you too much morphine again? What is it?"

He continued to smile as he gazed at her. He reached up to touch her cheek. "Don't you see, Sam? You're a victim of your own success." He grinned as he hugged her. "And I couldn't be prouder. Congratulations."

She slowly smiled in the embrace, finding some peace as she thought some more about what she had told him. He let her go, and she rested her head on his shoulder. She said, gazing up at him, "It does mean I get to yell at you guys."

He chuckled softly as he gazed down at her. He quipped, "You always yell at me... big deal."

"... and I'll probably be going to Washington more."

He gently kissed her forehead. He said softly, "Hey, if you had to go to the outer reaches of the known universe for this job, I'd be right behind you." He put an arm around her shoulders. "Not that I'm entirely or even partially in favour of you returning to Atlantis any time soon. I like being able to spend time with you."

She smiled, remarking as she rested a hand on his thigh, "You'll get bored of me soon... we've got a lot of leave ahead of us."

He retorted with a shy smile, "I could never be bored of you." He asked, appearing concerned, "Shouldn't you be resting?"

She stretched a little, replying, "Oh... I slept a lot in the Infirmary. What about you?"

"Not so much... but I don't want to sleep right now."

They both paused on hearing loud metallic squeaking noises from the next room, as well as vibrations in the wall. They exchanged a glance, trying not to laugh out loud. Sam remarked, "Looks like Vala bounced back from her injuries rather quickly..."

As she began to laugh, burying her face in her husband's shoulder, Daniel sighed. He said, "You know, if we're ever gonna get some sleep in the future when we've got the band over... we've gotta move that bed away from that wall..."

Sam smirked at the envy evident in his tone. She remarked playfully, "It's a long leave, Daniel... you'll get your chance."


	8. Enemies

**Prompt #022 – Enemies**

_**Summary: **One of Daniel's nightmares becomes reality_

_**Pairing: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **5_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Relationship, Tragedy_

_**A/N: **apologies for the delay in getting this posted – it's been hard to find the time and the wherewithal just lately to sit down and write coherently_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel stared up through the trees, into the night sky. But this wasn't Earth. It would take him perhaps a year to discover which star he could use to find his bearings. He didn't have a minute, never mind a year. He panted from exhaustion, and took a sip from his water bottle to soothe his flaming throat. He stared around himself, trying to find other means by which to find his bearings.

He was about to trudge wearily on, when someone shoved him from behind. Before he could even react, Jack continued to shove him along while Teal'c ran backwards in front of them, the Jaffa's eyes surveying the dark forest. Jack hissed quietly,

"Daniel, what did I tell you about stopping? Move!"

Daniel stumbled through the undergrowth, his pistol drawn in case they should stumble across the enemy. Taking care to speak quietly to avoid detection, Daniel asked,

"How many?"

Jack replied, glancing backwards, "About twenty Jaffa from what we could see. There could be more. We need to get to the 'gate."

Daniel stared at him in confusion but kept running. However, he said, "Jack, what about Sam?"

"We'll bring back reinforcements. We don't leave our people behind."

"Yet you're doing it now."

Jack, forgetting the necessity to remain quiet, yelled, "For cryin' out loud, Daniel!" He swore as he stumbled over a branch. As he kept running, he continued in a quieter voice, "I'm all for saving the day, but if we go back, we'll be killed, and that isn't gonna help Carter. We're outnumbered."

They stumbled from the woods, into a dark clearing, the moons of the planet thankfully obscured by heavy cloud cover. The Stargate, in the distance, reflected a little of the minimal light visible through the clouds. Jack hissed at Daniel, "Daniel, get to the 'gate. Dial us out of here." He turned to Teal'c. "T, cover him."

Teal'c asked, his staff weapon aimed at the woods, "What of you, O'Neill?"

Jack readjusted his P-90 as he replied, "I've got your six. Now, move!"

Daniel sprinted into the darkness towards the Stargate, dark and looming in the night. Teal'c jogged after him, swinging his staff weapon this way and that, his eyes surveying the landscape. Jack glanced back at the woods before jogging after them, one arm behind him as he kept his P-90 aimed in the direction of the woods.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Teal'c sat up with a start, confused as he stared around himself. His confusion disappeared on recognising the interior of a Goa'uld mothership. He quickly got to his feet, searching for weapons and his friends. In his search for weaponry, he found a bruised Jack and a just as bruised Daniel lying unconscious not too far from where he had been lying.

He shook both men into consciousness. As they sat up, rousing fully on recognising their surroundings, Teal'c said, "We have been captured. We must escape."

Teal'c offered an arm to Jack, who struggled to get to his feet. Noticing this and that Jack was breathing heavily, Teal'c asked, "Have you been injured, O'Neill?"

Jack grimaced a little at the pain throughout his body. He said, "I've had worse. I've also had better. Who's tub are we on this time?"

Daniel rubbed his eyes tiredly. He said as Teal'c helped him to his feet, "I didn't recognise the symbols on the Jaffa."

Teal'c said, "They are of the one whom you call 'Ares'."

Daniel's eyes widened in surprise. He asked, "Ares?"

As Teal'c went to check the perimeter of their holding room for a way out, Jack said, "Hate to ask... but don't we know Ares?"

Daniel stared around at the golden walls of vertically arranged hieroglyphs. He shook his head in horrified fascination. He eventually turned to Jack, and said, "Greek god of war. _You_ might know him from Hercules... and Xena."

"Thought so. Anyway, so bad news?"

Daniel wandered towards one of the walls. "Jack, he's a god of war. He's not going to cook us dinner."

Jack checked the room, but for potential escape points rather than for any archaeological value. The Colonel remarked, "Good point. Now how about a way out of here before he does decide to cook us dinner?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel was roughly thrown to the ground in a lavishly decorated throne room. Kneeling on the floor next to him was Jack, who mumbled grumpily about the state of his knees. As Jack was prevented by Jaffa from helping Daniel up, the archaeologist slowly sat up, grimacing at the pain in his body. His eyes first fell upon an ornate golden throne which rose out of the floor several feet in front of him.

Upon the throne was seated a fierce looking man with wild dark hair and lightly tanned skin. He wore heavy gold armour in the Greek style, with ornately carved golden sheaves tied to his shins. On his knee rested a golden helmet with a black horsehair plume. Flanking his throne, and the empty throne next to it, were Jaffa, grim and foreboding from the vantage point of the captives.

A wheezing Jack, his hands bound behind his back, gasped for breath. He glanced around, and asked in a weak voice, "Not a fan of the tall silent type? Where's Teal'c?"

The Goa'uld spoke in a booming voice, the voice of the parasite within the host. He said, "I do not require the Shol'va. He will be disposed of..." Ares said as he looked down at Daniel keenly. "...as soon as I have finished here."

Jack remarked, earning a savage beating from a Jaffa, "Hate to break it to ya, but Danny here isn't the Greek type."

Ares raised a hand in a silent order for the Jaffa in question to cease his beatings. Daniel asked, hoping not to share Jack's fate, "What do you want with us?"

Ares sneered at the archaeologist. "_I_ do not require you."

The Goa'uld looked up, and Jack and Daniel followed his gaze as a group of maids appeared, escorting none other than Sam into the room. Sam, who was dressed in robes of pale gold, was helped into the slightly less ornate and smaller throne next to Ares.

Daniel instinctively rose on seeing her, saying, "Sam!"

However, before he could get any closer to her, he was grabbed by Jaffa and thrown to the ground yet again. As he gasped for breath, his chest feeling as though it was collapsing, his gaze rose again, and he watched in muted horror as Ares held Sam's hand. Ares looked down at Daniel smugly, and said,

"This is my Queen... Aphrodite."

Sam gazed down at Daniel mockingly, and then she spoke in a voice that she had only used in Daniel's worst nightmares – that of a Goa'uld. She sneered as she said to Ares,

"She greatly prefers this one... what memories..."

Ares asked Aphrodite, "How is this new body for you, my beloved?"

Jack made a distasteful remark about the simpering looks exchanged by the Goa'ulds. This action earned him yet another beating. Aphrodite replied,

"This one has known the presence of our kind before."

"Can you learn any more?"

Aphrodite frowned a little as she glanced to the side for a moment. She said, "This one is strong... she is attempting to shield her memories from me."

Daniel pleadingly looked at what remained of Sam. He had already lost his first wife to the enemy; he'd be damned if he lost Sam. He said, "Sam, you have to fight it. We're going to get you out of here. Fight it, please."

This earned him another staff weapon beating from a Jaffa, who was beginning to take pleasure in it, although nowhere near as much as Jack's torturer was. Aphrodite leaned forward and said mockingly, "You think you can save this female. You cannot. There is nothing left. She is dead. Now, show some respect to your god, insolent human child."

Daniel gritted his teeth through the pain. He said defiantly, "Go to hell, bitch."

Aphrodite smiled smugly as she raised a hand, revealing a ribbon device attached to it. As Jaffa roughly held him still, and more Jaffa held Jack back, Aphrodite leaned forward, and activated the device. A beam of energy burst forth, entering his forehead as he closed his eyes, and cried out in pain.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel woke up on the floor of the holding room once again, and he groaned as he tried to sit up, feeling a familiar dull burning sensation inside his head. Jack and Teal'c helped him to sit up, Jack saying as Daniel began to cough, "Easy, tiger."

Daniel asked, sounding scared, "Jack? What are we going to do?"

Jack sighed, reluctant to apprise Daniel of their current plan. He looked to Teal'c, who said to Daniel, "We must escape."

Daniel struggled to his feet frantically, saying, "We can't... not without Sam." He sighed as he took his glasses off to rub his eyes. He said in a calmer voice, "She made me promise her something." He looked at Jack fearfully. "If she ever got one of those things in her, and there was no way out..."

Jack abruptly shook his head and grabbed Daniel's glasses. He slid them back onto the archaeologist's face. The Colonel said, sounding annoyed, "Okay, _that_ is a bad plan. We do not shoot our own people."

Teal'c said grimly, "That is inaccurate... Jonas Hansen was..."

Jack waved dismissively. "Okay, okay, that guy was out of control." He grabbed Daniel by the shoulders. He said, "Our main objective here is to get Carter, kicking and screaming if we have to, back home. We'll sort out the 'and' afterwards. _But_... Stargate Command need to know about this snakehead, and the needs of the many outweigh the few, right?" He grimaced a little. "... so he said somewhat awkwardly. Do you understand, Daniel?"

Daniel nodded reluctantly, saying bitterly, "The mission above all, right?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

SG-1, now including Teal'c, were brought back to the throne room, captives yet again after an escape attempt. Jack glanced around the room and remarked, "Not sure I like what you've done with the place, if I'm honest. Seems a little gay for a burly warrior type whose into stealing wives."

He received more beatings for his efforts, groaning unusually loud at the pain. As he did so, Teal'c leapt to his feet, grabbing a staff weapon from a nearby Jaffa. He turned it on Ares, who raised a hand to reveal a ribbon device. The beam emanating from the device sent Teal'c smacking into the furthest wall, the staff weapon leaving his hand.

Ares yelled arrogantly, "How dare you turn a weapon upon your god, Shol'va?"

Daniel once again looked up at Aphrodite with pleading eyes. He said, "Sam, I'm here, and I'm gonna get you out of here, no matter what it takes."

Aphrodite, however, laughed at him and brandished her ribbon device yet again. She raised it over Daniel's forehead, the archaeologist groaning in pain as the beam felt as though it was burning his brain. Despite the physical and mental discomfort, his fingers edged to the holster on his leg. He struggled to grasp his gun, his fingers repeatedly slipping from it.

He gritted his teeth, struggling to focus on that simple task. He said, "Sam..."

From somewhere behind him came the sound of a staff weapon activating. A very painful memory returned. It was now or never. When the weapon wasn't immediately fired, he shouted, groaning at the pain, "Teal'c, now!"


	9. Heart

**Prompt #047 – Heart**

_**Summary: **Daniel doesn't know just how long he's had her heart for. _

_**Pairing: **Sam/Daniel, Sam/Jack-ish_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **8_

_**Category: **UST_

_**Genres: **A/U, Angst, Drama, Relationship_

_**A/N: **Sam's PoV_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It's just a little game of Truth or Dare. The purposes of this childish game are many. Usually, it's a means to embarrass the participants via anything from stupendous revelations about their private lives, to performing embarrassing tasks. For us, it's just a means to wind down after a crazy day at work, and the dares are generally hypothetical. Let's face it, we would definitely lose our jobs if we were caught, say, wrapping the Stargate in marzipan.

You come up with the best dares though, like translating all of General O'Neill's paperwork into Ancient, and timing how long it takes for him to realise that he can't actually read it. How we laughed until we were caught, and you were made to translate every last sheet. But it was worth it. Just for the look on his face.

But one night, you cross the line. One night, I casually say 'truth'. I say it because I trust you not to get too personal. But then you did. Far more than you ever had before. You ask me how long a certain someone has had my heart. You mean the General – I know you do. But for once, I tell you the truth. Because you're drunk, and hopefully you won't remember this in the morning.

"Since the day he opened the Stargate."


	10. Winter

**Prompt #061 – Winter**

_**Summary: **Winter days are short and dark, but perfect for sharing with a loved one_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel, mention of Teal'c/Ish'ta_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **post-Continuum_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Fluff, PWP, Relationship, Romance_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was too cold to venture outside, or even elsewhere in the cabin. How Daniel had managed to get up and do things was something Sam couldn't understand. Hearing the steady thwacking noises from outside, she began to feel guilty for not getting up to help him. But it was too cold, and they were on vacation.

It was times like these when, amongst the guilt, she felt relieved that she had let him be 'the man'.

She coughed as she began to feel a chill in her chest, and she burrowed further beneath the covers. She peeked out, seeing nothing but white through the window. She coughed again, giving him a couple more minutes.

Finally, the door opened, and, from her vantage point, she could see Daniel enter the cabin, a pile of freshly cut albeit snow-topped logs in his arms. Shivering a little, he shook his head to get rid of the snow from his hair, and he stamped his boots. Closing the door with a kick of his foot, he put some of the logs into the fireplace. As he worked on lighting a fire, Sam coughed again, and he glanced in her direction.

He said, smiling a little, "Hey, morning to you too."

She groaned, feeling guilty yet again. She said, "Sorry."

He smiled again. "No worries." As he got the fire started, he said, "This way, at least we get a proper fire started... instead of an explosion."

As he stood up, she threw a pillow at him in retaliation for his remark. He chuckled as he caught it, and she peeked out at him again. She said coyly, "You know, it'll be warmer if we share body heat."

He raised his eyebrows and feigned innocence. He said, "Well... it's freezing, and you're the only one around... so I might as well."

This earned another projectile pillow, this time knocking his glasses. He straightened his glasses, and remarked, "Keep that up, and you're going out tomorrow."

She grinned under the covers at the sight of his pout. As he began to shed his outer clothes, she retorted, "Not much point when we've got plenty of wood here."

She hid a smile as he promptly reddened, the double entendre not lost on him. She looked at him with a warm smile as he joined her under the covers.

Taking his glasses off, he shivered a little as he said, "It should warm up soon." He smiled into her shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close to him. He said, humming a little, "You're toasty."

She closed her eyes and rubbed the arm that was around her. She smiled again as a snug warmth embraced her. She asked quietly,

"Did Jack call?"

He hummed tiredly into her shoulder, and said, "Oh yeah... it was the usual about threatening to come up here. I think he gets lonely." He hummed again. "Mitchell too... Teal'c's gone to see Ish'ta again, and Vala's driving our Colonel No-Pants up the wall." He paused. "I feel sorry for him."

Sam chuckled at his nickname for Cam. She then said, sighing softly, "Well, I guess it makes a change from her bugging you."

She laughed again on not getting a reply, instead hearing a soft snoring noise right next to her. She kissed him gently, and then rested her head against his, falling asleep herself.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In front of a crackling fire, they lie on the floor under blankets, the two of them facing one another. Between them was a chess set. From outside could be heard a howling wind as a heavier blizzard took hold, ensuring that they would be incommunicado until at least New Year... unless the SGC were desperate enough to beam them out.

Sam sighed as she made a move. She picked up one of Daniel's rooks that she had won earlier in the game, and she looked at it, turning it in the firelight. She said, glancing at Daniel, "You know, I played this with Ronon once."

Daniel took a sip of his coffee, and frowned at the board. He said, surprised nonetheless, "Really?"

"Mm-hm." She moved another piece, and said, "Turns out Sheppard had taught him... but he rarely has the patience to sit down and play a full game without shooting it." She chuckled softly. "That explains the abnormal number of chess sets requisitioned to the Expedition."

He shrugged a little as he made a move, stealing one of Sam's pieces in the process. He said, "Hmm, I didn't get to talk to him the last time I went, but he does seem like the strong, not-so silent type."

She laughed. "He growls when he gets bored... and he physically injures his sparring partners." She shook her head a little at a memory. "He and Teal'c really didn't get on when they first met."

"Well, nothing like adversity to bring the growling warrior types together." He grinned triumphantly. "Check."

She shook her head again, this time at the tendency for Daniel's ego to surface whenever he was playing better than she was. As she made another move, she said cheekily, "I bet you a dollar that I win this game."

He chuckled softly, and retorted, "Way to break the bank, honey." He smirked at her innocently as he moved another piece. "Check."

She moved a piece before leaning over the board to kiss him. As he got over the initial shock, he smiled as his hand came to rest on the side of her neck. Sam grinned when she pulled back to see a dazed expression on Daniel's face. Taking advantage of the situation, she quickly looked down at the board once he had made his move, and she made what was to be her final move.

She grinned as he looked surprised, and she said, "Check..." She knocked over his King with her Queen. "... and mate."

He frowned down at the board, checking that she wasn't mistaken. He then pouted, and said, "You cheated."

As she put the pieces away, she continued to grin. She said, shaking her head, "Nope, taking advantage of your typical maleness isn't cheating. It was a tactical manoeuvre."

"Bah, I let you win."

"Yeah, you keep believing that." Her smile faded as she looked down at the set pensively. She said with a sigh, "You know... we're gonna have to teach Cassie's kids one day."

He nodded solemnly as she eventually looked at him. He gently caressed her cheek, an expression of a mutual regret in their shared past. Trying to lighten the moment, he said, "Well, you might not want to teach them to kiss their opponents..." He cleared his throat and glanced downwards. "Not like that anyhow..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Out in the freezing cold, they stood with their faces tilted towards the heavens. Surrounded by piles of snow, they gazed up at the dark cloudless skies in awe at the sight of bright sparks shooting across the sky in varying sizes. Sam snuggled in Daniel's embrace, glad of the heavy outdoor clothing they had both brought on the trip.

As though afraid to disturb the silent majesty of the moment, he spoke quietly. He said, "I missed this when you were gone."

She hummed a little as though concentrating on something. As a particularly bright meteor streaked across the heavens, she looked up at him with a soft smile. She said, "I missed it too. I missed you." She wrapped her arms around his waist, partially to warm herself up some more. She rested her head on his shoulder, and said, "Do you want to go to San Diego? It feels like I haven't seen Mark in forever."

He rubbed her back through her coat, and said, "Sure." He frowned a little. "I don't think he likes me though. When you were gone, he kept sounding suspicious every time he called."

Sam smiled slightly as she thought of how much like their father her brother was. They looked up as more meteors shot across the sky, and she said, "Oh... no, he does like you. He just has a hard time showing it." She grinned up at him. "_I_ like you though. I think that counts for something."

As she kissed him, he smiled happily, knowing how much she did in fact like him. She finally let him go, leaving him standing there with a dopey smile on his face. Grinning, she bent over to scoop up some snow, and the next thing that Daniel knew, a handful of snow had smashed into his face, and a giggling Sam was running away from him.

Shaking his head a little, he called after her, "That's it! No more Mr Nice Guy!"

He laughed as he heard her voice from somewhere in the distance. She replied, "Oh please, you're always Mr Nice Guy! Come on, Doctor J, catch me if you can!"

He shook his head again in partial despair on hearing her blow a raspberry at him. Scooping up a handful of snow in his gloved hands, he ran in the same direction that she had. He fashioned a crude ball shape out of the snow, calling as he did so, "Right! You asked for it, Colonel J!"

Throughout the night, they darted between trees, each simultaneously pursuing and evading the other. As the meteors continued to shoot and soar, now forgotten, the night was filled with squeals and taunts, and the sound of snowballs missing or reaching their intended target. The odd curse-word, too, was thrown in as one or the other fell into a snow drift or tripped over a branch.

Hours later, two very cold, but still laughing, people, walked hand-in-hand back to their cabin. On reaching it, Sam remarked breathlessly, "Oh, we have so gotta do that with the rest of SG-1."

In front of the fire, they helped each other out of their now wet clothing. As they did so, Daniel replied, "Are you kidding... it would be like the time we went paintballing with Teal'c. It ended up with Teal'c against everyone else. I don't think I've ever seen Mitchell _that_ scared... ever."

"... or coated in that much paint..."


	11. Dust

**Prompt #100 – Dust**

_**Summary: **Daniel finds his purpose in their ongoing struggle_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Season 10/Future_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Angst, Drama, Relationship, Tragedy_

_**A/U: **inspired by Last Man (SGA)_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel came through the Stargate a little quicker than he had expected. There wasn't time to contemplate this as he half-skidded and half-stumbled to a stop on the ramp. Only then did he realise where he was. He stared around himself in wide-eyed confusion on barely recognising the gateroom of Stargate Command. And only then did he realise just how hot the environment was.

Loosening his collar, he readjusted his P-90 as he walked down the ramp cautiously into the empty gateroom. He looked up to see the control room empty too, and he called out,

"Hello?" He looked around the gateroom as though one more look would make things normal again. He said, "Anyone?"

Pressing his earpiece, he called into his radio, "Hello?"

Receiving nothing but static, he turned around again. Had some Goa'uld, or even the Ori taken the trouble to rather inaccurately recreate the SGC as a means to ensnare him? During this train of thought, he peered curiously at the crystal panels on the walls, which appeared to be only for decorative purposes.

Shaking his head, he left the gateroom, intending to make his way to the control room so he could attempt to dial back to the planet where his team was. He hadn't remembered touching a quantum mirror – perhaps this was just some peculiarity of wormhole physics that Sam could explain to him.

Speaking of Sam, he was about to ascend the stairs to the control room, when he heard a voice. Still confused, and relieved, he spun around on hearing Sam's voice. However, he stopped in his tracks on seeing a woman that he had only barely imagined from time to time. Before him stood an elderly careworn woman with long white hair. He backed away from her in shock, shaking his head in denial. He swallowed and looked at her defensively. He said,

"No... no... you're not real."

His shock wasn't abated when she smiled that smile that _his_ Sam seemed to smile only for him. She said, "Daniel, don't worry. It's okay. Everything's okay." She spoke a little quicker to distract him from his shock. "This is gonna sound crazy... but do you remember 1969?"

He nodded, now numb as he tried to process her existence. She continued with that same smile, "A wormhole intersected a solar flare, and we ended up thirty years in the past. This time..." She sighed softly. "... the wormhole accidentally intersected a solar flare – but this one had very unusual characteristics." She paused before she could dive into a complex explanation. She said, "You're now forty thousand years in the future – _your_ future."

He stared at her in shock, and then numbly dropped onto the bottom step of the staircase behind him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In the control room, Daniel tried albeit in vain to use the computer to dial the 'gate. Older-Sam stood behind him, waiting for him to give up. The tolerant expression on her face would have shown an outside observer that she knew that she could be waiting there a long time.

Finally, when the dialling computer wouldn't co-operate with him, he slammed the keyboard in an uncharacteristic display of frustration. Still, he refused to face her. Finally older-Sam moved to his side, peering at him. She said with a knowing smile,

"You're going to have to face me someday, Daniel... and I'd like it to be before you need a cane."

Staring down at the computer, he asked, "What happened?" He slowly looked at her. "Where am I?"

She smiled at him again, and said, "Good, you're finally willing to listen. I forgot just how stubborn you can be." She nodded at a nearby chair. "Sit down." When he hesitated, she said, "You're gonna need to, believe me."

He reluctantly pulled out a chair and sat down, looking up at her expectantly, his arms folded across his chest. She crouched in front of him, shying from his touch when he began to accept who she was.

She said, "Because of the malfunction that we've already discussed, it's now the year 42,007."

Daniel stared at her as he realised that she was serious. He then glanced down into the darkened gateroom, and asked, "What happened here?" The heat getting to him again, he tugged at his collar again. "Is there a heating malfunction?"

She shrugged. "You could say that. Sol is now a red giant... the Earth is barren. The last of humanity left Earth long ago."

He shook his head, and said, "If what you say is true – about Earth – then how am I even alive?"

"I've created an oxygen field for you."

Daniel tried to touch her but stared in horrified fascination as his hand passed straight through her. She continued, "I'm not who you think I am. I'm a hologram of Doctor Samantha Jackson, created in 2027. By that time, holographic technology had even excelled that of the Asgard. I am able to move all over the SGC. I'm also an integral part of the base's sensor systems, installed in 2021... so I have eyes and ears."

Needing to get away from her, he got to his feet and walked a few feet away. Exhaling, he remained turned away from her. He said, "What's going on? Why are you here?"

He flinched when she suddenly appeared in front of him, an indefinable depth of sadness in her eyes. She said, "I'm here to save you, Daniel... and to save the universe. We don't have much time. Please. Sit down."

However, he hesitated once again as he realised something. He said, a little scared, "You said it's the year 42,007."

She nodded, and he continued, "40,000 years have passed between where I've come from, and here."

She nodded once again. He sighed as the realisation hit him once again. Looking very sad, he said, "Then, you're dead." She didn't need to nod, and he continued, pacing around, "You're dead and gone... our friends – Teal'c, Mitchell, Vala..." His voice faltered as he spoke the last name. "Jack." A tear involuntarily rolled down his cheek. "Everyone and everything I know is dead and turned to dust."

He left the control room, the archaeologist struggling to cope with the conflicting emotions arising within him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel stepped into what had been his office. In its stead, he found rickety old shelves with ancient looking books that crumbled beneath his touch. The smell of the room reminded him of the tomb of a Pharaoh – the very dry stench of old death that catches you at the back of the throat. Around him, instead of the comfort and refuge that he sought, was nothing but death and the ravages of time.

Suddenly he felt as claustrophobic as the first, and subsequent times when he, as a child, had accompanied either of his parents into a tomb. He needed to get out of there. He rushed out of the room, bending over outside as he took deep breaths to steady his frayed nerves. This was ridiculous. All he did was dial the 'gate for Earth so he could report back to Landry the progress of negotiations with the inhabitants of a trinium-rich planet. By now, he probably would have been on his way back to the planet.

As he straightened up, he came face-to-face once again with older-Sam. She smiled at him in that way which now killed him inside each time she did it. She asked him,

"Are you hungry? Do you need food?"

Food was far from his mind right now, despite the fact that he hadn't eaten for at least a few hours. This was much more beyond food. He had to go home again – he couldn't stay here in this wretched place. He said,

"Just send me home. Please."

She shook her head, and said, "Not just yet, Daniel. According to my calculations, another solar flare with the same characteristics won't hit until 44007." She cringed a little. "... which isn't at all helpful... because also by my calculations, Sol will turn into a supernova in a thousand years."

Forgetting himself, he exclaimed, "What?" He shook his head. "Okay, you've gotta do something. I'm not even going to go into the impracticalities involved here."

She smiled a ghost of a smile as she watched him. She said, "So impatient when things aren't going your way. Just like Claire."

He was about to query her last remark, when she smiled at him again. She said, "Well, as you may have fathomed, I have a potential solution." Her smile wavered a little. "How do you feel about stasis pods?"

He walked straight past her, before turning back to see her watching him. He said, "Sure, whatever." He sighed. "I imagine you won't tell me anything I want to know anyway."

She cocked her head a little. "Well, it depends whether you want to know the winners of major sporting events, or whether you want to know what happens after you're gone." She smiled a little. "But first, you're gonna need some food. If Samantha's memories are accurate, you haven't eaten for the best part of a day in your time."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel sat a table in the dimly lit Commissary, poking at his food more than he was eating it. If he was honest with himself, the deserted room really didn't help his appetite. Everywhere he looked, he remembered his friends at different points of SG-1 history.

_SG-1 history_.

SG-1 was history... as was the SGC, and his friends. Everyone he loved and respected; everyone he disliked even, were gone. After all this time, there couldn't be any remains to mourn over. Only memories... and he hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye.

His gaze eventually returned to the holographic representation who was seated opposite him. She said, "Come on, Daniel. Eat."

He grimaced a little as he looked down at the array of dried food before him. He then said, "Tell me about everything. What happened... what happens after I end up here?"

She now appeared to stare through him, her gaze distant as she began to recount events that seemed surreal to him. She said softly, "After you were gone, things started going pretty badly for us. Adria and her forces began to get the upper hand more and more, and there was no-one to stop it. Within a year, the galaxy fell to the Ori onslaught in a series of bloody battles."

Despite her inorganic form, a tear rolled down her cheek. She continued, "The Jaffa were destroyed. We lost Teal'c and Bra'tac. Little did we know that they wouldn't be the last of our losses."

He stared at her in shock, unable to believe what she had just said. He closed his eyes, his mind not willing to accept the fact that people who were so alive in his memories, were now dead.

"... Vala was next. Adria captured her and killed her. Cam died trying to save her." More tears fell from older-Sam's eyes. She said, "Jack, Landry and Hammond went down with the Odyssey when it came under attack from the Ori forces." She sighed quietly. "Over the years, we buried more and more empty caskets. _Too_ many."

As a tear rolled down Daniel's cheek, he asked quietly, "What about you? What happened?"

"By then, I had resigned my commission." She smiled a little through her tears. "And I was pregnant. No-one knew where you'd gone, but I worked it out." She looked downwards and said depreciatingly. "Of course, Samantha Carter-Jackson would have to work everything out."

He blinked suddenly, and said, flabbergasted, "Wait a minute." He held up a hand briefly. "You... you were pregnant?"

She appeared amused at the state of shock that he was in. She said, "Well, I would have had to have been to give birth to Claire Danielle Jackson, wouldn't I?" She smirked. "Sometimes, for a genius, you can be pretty dim."

He frowned, retorting, "I'm not psychic."

"You're also cute when you're defensive." Her smile faded as she returned to her narrative. "While I brought up our daughter, I watched our friends die. I watched as their teams returned through the Stargate without them. I did my best to help, but I didn't know what I was dealing with." She paused. "But then, for some reason, the Ori disappeared."

He frowned again as he contemplated what she had told him so far. He said, "The Ancients."

She shrugged, and said, "We don't know for sure. All we know is that they were all gone... Adria, the Ori..." She sighed sadly. "But it was too late. The Ori had destabilised our Sun. The full extent of the effects were only realised many years afterwards. We evacuated the last of humanity. There were too few of us left to pick and choose like in Deep Impact."

Her voice wavered as she continued, "Claire stayed with me as I worked on a way to get you back. I realised what had happened and knew that it was just a case of being in the right place at the right time." She sighed. "I eventually managed to get Claire through the Stargate to Cimmeria." She smiled through her tears. "That girl quite literally went kicking and screaming... like her father."

He suddenly felt guilty as he realised just how much she had been through. He also felt galled that she had had to do it all alone; that there had been no-one at her side. Most of all, in amongst the death, what resounded in his head was that she had been pregnant the last time he had seen her, and he hadn't known.

He said softly, "I'm sorry." He sat up straight, looking hopeful. "But if I go back, I can change things, right?"

She nodded, her face marred with a lot of old pain. She swallowed, and said, "Yes. With you around, with your insight, we would have stood a better chance. You would have worked something out."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel stumbled through the event horizon of the Stargate; for the second time that day, having to slow himself down. Breathing a sigh of relief, he looked around at the place he had long come to call home. He was in the gateroom of the SGC and the temperature was a lot less stifling than it had been. Also, there were people.

People who were now putting their guns away slowly.

A glance upwards revealed Walter back in his usual place in the control room, with various technicians, and a surprised looking Landry.

And at the base of the ramp waited the two men and two women whom he had come to call family. He slowly walked towards them, the archaeologist standing before them silently.

Moments later, he was engulfed in a hug from Sam, who whispered in his ear, "Where the hell were you?"

He held onto her to make sure that she was real. He closed his eyes as he breathed in her familiar scent, allowing himself to be encompassed by the warmth he felt both physically and mentally whenever he was around her. He opened his eyes again as the rest of his team took turns in ruffling his hair rather roughly, making him scowl.

He was about to let go of Sam in order to try to tell what would no doubt prove a fantastic tale. However, she wouldn't budge, and he frowned, realising that perhaps he had been gone a lot longer than he had initially surmised.

As Vala took the opportunity to steal sunglasses from his pocket, Cam said, "You've been gone a week, Jackson. This better be a good story this time."

Teal'c remarked with a faint smirk, "Whether the narrative can or will be considered 'good' is questionable. However, I have no doubt that it will be of interest."

Vala added impatiently, "Okay, but if he was just lost in the local library, _someone's_ got a lot of cultural edification excursions to organise for their favourite sexy alien."

Everyone else hid smiles as she winked at Daniel, who rolled his eyes. Cam said, ruffling Daniel's hair once again, "Good to have ya back, Jackson."

As the rest of the team reflected his sentiments in their own ways, Cam nodded at them, silently telling them to give Daniel and Sam a moment's privacy. When at last the Jacksons were left alone, Sam looked up at him, her eyes watery. She said,

"I thought that maybe..." She shook her head. "But you're here. You came back."

Daniel gazed at her, recalling the holographic representation of her older self. One day, he knew, she would be gone, as would everyone else that he knew and loved. But that day wasn't today, and that, for now, was enough for him. It had to be.

He gently kissed her. He then said, "It's a long story. I went to the future because of a solar flare. I better wait until I make it to the briefing room, because I don't think I have it in me to tell this story twice." He hugged her, and whispered, "Congratulations."

She stared up at him wide-eyed, realising why he had said what he had said. Forgetting momentarily what he had initially said, she asked, "How did you know? I only just found out myself." She pressed her lips together briefly as she glanced downwards. "I still can't believe it."

He gently reached down to smooth her stomach through her combat fatigues. He said, "You could say that you told me." When she looked at him sceptically, he continued, "And that's part of the story for the briefing room too."

He put an arm around her as they left the gateroom together. He said, "Anyway, come on, I'll bet Carolyn wants to poke me with a lot of stuff before I get to tell my story." He smiled briefly despite his growing worries. He said, "You know, in some cultures, that's considered a serious faux pas."


	12. Too Much

**Prompt #033 – Too Much**

_**Summary: **Someone has a surprise for Sam and Daniel_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Future_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Drama, Family, Relationship_

_**A/U: **inspired by a conversation with Amaranth Traces_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam hears a key turn in a lock, and she smiles. She looks up from shelling peas in the kitchen, at Daniel who's making a go of slicing carrots. He glances at her, and smiles in reply. They both then wince as they hear the impact of a rucksack somewhere in the vicinity of the bottom of the stairs.

Sam continues to shell peas as she calls out, "If that bag isn't put under the stairs or taken to your room, young lady, I'm going to have great fun blowing it up!"

They both wear tight-lipped expressions as they hear angry muttering coming from the hallway, and the stomping of an annoyed person's feet up the stairs. Daniel then mutters under his breath,

"Like mother, like daughter."

Sam looks shocked at the remark and its implications. She throws a pea at him, and says, "Uh, no... she definitely has your lack of respect for authority."

He chuckles and says, "She blew her room up last week – enough said."

She raises a finger at him, and says defensively, "_That_ was an accident! If she hadn't put so much gelignite in..."

He turns to her, looking quite serious. He says, "Okay, you are definitely not letting our daughter mess around with explosives in uncontrolled conditions. She could have been hurt."

She rolls her eyes and shakes her head at his concern. She says, "She was wearing goggles and had the appropriate safety equipment. Oh, and did I mention that _I_ was there?"

He shakes his head this time as he resumes slicing carrots. He says sarcastically, "Oh yeah, that's reassuring. You scorched your sweater, and if Claire hadn't been there, you would have burnt your scalp. I swear, I don't have one kid – I have two."

She self-consciously touches her hair which is about an inch or so shorter than usual – barely touching her shoulders. She looks at it wistfully, and says, "That wasn't fair. I never keep bringing up the time _you_ took her shopping and ended up being kidnapped by Trust Agents."

He laughs, and says sceptically, "Oh yeah? You brought it up this morning. In fact, you've brought that up several times... along with more examples of my failings as a father."

She nudges him playfully, knowing that he's just being dramatic. She says, "Oh come on, I wouldn't call them _failings._ It's just a by-product of being a Jackson. Jack was right – I should never let you go anywhere by yourself. Although, unlike him, I draw the line at the bathroom... _especially_ after that casserole."

He laughs again as he nudges her in return. He says, "... which you made."

She pouts a little as she looks down at the peas. She says, "You've made fun of my cooking so many times now, it's lost all meaning." She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes, and said, "Oh, hey, Cam's coming by later."

He groans a little, and says, "Okay, but if he makes that omelette again, you can hold him down while I make him eat every last bit. Dear God, he mentioned it to a Prior years ago... and then suddenly it became a religion all of its own..."

She laughs at the thunderous expression on his face. She says, "Hey, it isn't that bad."

"Yeah, but he makes it every time, and tells that same damn story too. I think Vala had the right idea by stealing his wallet the last time."

She laughs again, and says, "Holy Hannah, he's still getting the credit card bills..."

They continue to laugh, and she rests her head on his shoulder. However, they both straighten up on hearing someone stomp loudly down the stairs. Sam glances in the doorway of the kitchen and remarks sternly,

"Did I give birth to a herd of elephants?"

Something catches her eye however and she looks again. She blinks. It can't be. She turns away and then looks back again. It is. Oh, how it is. She gapes at the sight of a large red swelling across the young blonde's face. The swelling runs from under right eye down to the left side of her face. Sam can't articulate sounds, never mind words to convey the rising horror she feels at the sight.

Daniel then looks up. But he's a philologist – he thinks of words faster than her. But even he struggles. He eventually exclaims, "Claire Jackson, what the hell have you done to yourself?"

Claire replies defiantly, "It's a real boss tattoo. Like it? Have to wear my contacts 'cos it hurts to wear my glasses." She smiles, looking proud. "The swelling's gonna go down in a couple of days and it's gonna look awesome."

Her parents continue to look stunned, so Claire continues with a shrug, "It's a peyote to support the northern Ute tribe in their ongoing struggle."

Daniel continues to stare at his daughter, flabbergasted. A stunned Sam asks him, "What's a peyote?"

He murmurs, "Uh... a small spineless cactus native to south-western Texas and central Mexico. It's used by various indigenous American tribes, including the northern Ute in their rituals."

Sam turns back to face their daughter. She says, "You've got a cactus... _on your face_?" Her voice rises as anger takes hold. She says, "What the hell were you thinking? My God, Claire, you're a beautiful girl – what the hell have you done to yourself? It's... it's horrible!"

Claire raises her hands placatingly. She says, "It's fine, honestly. Mom, you're gonna love it."

"No I'm not! What possessed you to even..." Sam glances at Daniel, noticing that he hasn't moved. She sighs and says to Claire, "Right, you're coming with me to town tomorrow, and you're getting it removed!"

Claire angrily stomps her foot and yells, "You just don't understand!" She looks to her father beseechingly, and says, "Daddy, tell her."

Daniel shakes his head and folds his arms across his chest. He says, "I'm gonna have to side with your Mom here. Go to your room."

Claire screams in frustration and stomps away, screaming, "I hate you!"

A now trembling Sam turns to Daniel, who winces a little as Claire stomps up the stairs louder than usual. He slowly takes Sam in his arms, and says, "Believe it or not, we're gonna miss her when she's away at college."

A weary Sam sighs as she rests her head against his chest. She says, "Oh, you can't argue now... she's your mini-me."

Daniel looks down at her, and says calmly, "Hey, maybe we shouldn't be so hard on her." He shrugs as she glares up at him. "We were young once."

"But neither of us went so far as to get a tattoo... and especially a huge tattoo right across our faces."

He shrugs again, and says, "But her reasons are good. It's not purely teen rebellion. It's for something she feels strongly about. The northern Ute have been given a raw deal."

She sighs and says, "Oh, come on, Daniel. We let her go on protest marches... although I draw the line at Greenpeace... especially after she got arrested last time."

"She's expressing her beliefs and they're honourable. And besides, maybe she'll decide to have laser surgery when she realises just how it'll look when it all heals. Peyotes aren't exactly the most aesthetically pleasing members of the plant kingdom."

She exhales as she releases herself from his embrace. She says, "Fine, but you're paying for it. And _you're_ going to the school when her principal complains." She mutters as she returns to shelling peas, "My goodness, who knew raising a Jackson would be one explosion after another..."

Daniel smiles, only to hide it when Sam glares at him. He says, "Well, hey, look at it this way, at least Mitchell will be too distracted to make that omelette."


	13. Water

**Prompt #051 – Water**

_**Summary: **Water is necessary for life. It's also a necessary part of a Saturday afternoon for our favourite twosome_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Season 7-8-ish_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Fluff, Relationship_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam stepped back from the now soaped up car, admiring her handiwork. Checking that she and Daniel had scrubbed every inch of the vehicle's chassis and glass, she wiped her brow with her arm. She looked up to see that Daniel had already got the hose out and had just returned from connecting it to the outside tap.

She walked over to him with the intention of rinsing her sponge, when she was stopped in her tracks by a deluge of water in her face. Coughing and spluttering, she stared at Daniel in shock. The archaeologist was standing there with that challenging expression on his face, silently mocking her.

Smirking a little, he began to rinse the car, and she, seething a little, squeezed out her now soaking wet t-shirt. She threw her sponge at him and in the split-second of confusion, grabbed the hose from him. Sprinting around the car, she said,

"You know, that was unprovoked."

Keeping a cautious eye on the hose in her hand, Daniel replied, "That was pre-emptive..."

Sam went about rinsing the car, now smug that she now had the upper hand.

Daniel frowned as he watched her, expecting but not receiving a spray of water directed at him in retaliation for his initial attack. A little disappointed too, he pushed his glasses up, and he said,

"Uh, Sam?"

Sam looked up with an innocent expression tinged with playfulness. She asked, "What is it, Daniel?"

He looked to the side and then said, "You're not splashing me."

She shrugged, and said, "I'm not?"

She then proceeded to hum loudly as Daniel found himself eyeing potential escape routes. Maybe if he ran into the house now, he would avoid her inevitable onslaught. He felt more comfortable when he knew what Sam would do – his girlfriend at her unexpected left him uneasy; due in no small part to the fact that he and she were usually on the same wavelength.

Jack lived a mile away... but if he ran now, Jack would only question his manhood, and Sam would probably serve up a far worse fate for him later.

Maybe he should just try to grab the hose from her now and put an end to his growing uneasiness.

The sound of a groan brought his attention back to the here and now. He stared in surprise for a moment on not seeing Sam where she had been. He heard another groan from her side of the car, the groan sounding rather painful.

Now quite scared, he rushed to the other side of the car, and then was floored by a high powered water stream in his face at close quarters. He sat up, coughing and spluttering, and looking down at his now soaking clothes in dismay as he wondered how he was going to dry his glasses. He then looked up to see Sam sitting in front of him with a huge grin on her face.

She said, "Now _that_ was provoked, Daniel Jackson."

She squirted him with water again as he got up. She then screamed as he chased her, the archaeologist getting progressively wetter and wetter as he chased her around the car.


	14. Why?

**Prompt #080 – Why?**

_**Summary: **She had spent most of her life asking this question... but only now does she tire of it._

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **K+_

_**Season: **Future_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Family, Relationship_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam smiled to herself as she spoon-fed the small child seated in her lap. Between noisy mouthfuls, the little girl wouldn't stop speaking, and sometimes, she talked while chewing until her mother reminded her that it was rude. By the time the girl had taken to clapping instead of talking, Daniel entered the kitchen. Sam looked up at him with a smile, and he stooped to kiss her. He then ruffled the child's hair affectionately before proceeding to wash some glasses in the sink.

Sam then spent a good five minutes stopping the now squirming child from sliding off her lap and running to her father. She said,

"Honey, come on, you've got to finish your lunch first."

Daniel glanced at them and turned away to smirk. The girl looked up at Sam with large blue eyes. She asked, "Why?"

Sam sighed a touch wearily, knowing what was to come and knowing that she would end up doing nothing but encourage it. Some days, she thought, she was a glutton for punishment at the hands of a Jackson.

Sam replied, "Because, Grace, if you don't finish it, you won't be strong and healthy."

"Why?"

Sam closed her eyes briefly. She said, "Because food makes your body work properly."

Sam glared up at Daniel as he suddenly succumbed to a coughing fit, the archaeologist making it worse the more he tried to act casual about it. She was about to carry on feeding Grace, when the little girl asked,

"Why?"

Fine, Sam's sleep-deprived mind thought, if she wants an explanation, she's getting one. Sam replied a little too brightly, "Because your energy and nutrient needs are high in relation to your body size compared to big people like me and Daddy."

There was a pause, and hope began to build within Sam. Grace looked up at Daniel and then at Sam. Sam was about resume feeding her again, when she asked,

"Why?"

"Because you run around like a lunatic."

"Why?"

Sam sighed as Daniel now laughed quietly. She said, "Because you're a Jackson."

"Why?"

Sam began to question how she, an Air Force General, had fallen for this yet again. She said, "Because Uncle Jack's Space Monkey is your Daddy."

An almost hysterical Daniel could barely keep himself upright. Grace frowned and asked, "Why?"

Sam hid a smile as she replied sternly, "That, young lady, is a story for your graduation. Now finish your lunch before Daddy does."

Grace looked disappointed and then sullenly began to eat again. Daniel cleared his throat and said, "Say hello to your mini-me."

Sam looked up at Daniel and he quickly wiped the smile off his face. She remarked moodily, "You know, Daniel, that isn't funny for someone who spent all night wiping up sick while you were brushing up bricks."

His shoulders slumped a little as he suddenly felt guilty. He said, "Sam, if I'd known, I would have come home earlier."

Sam nodded tiredly, feeling guilty at being moody with Daniel. She said, "Sorry, only running on an hour's sleep here."

He dried his hands on a dishcloth and then said, concerned, "Hey, I'll take Grace. You should get some sleep. You've got the meeting with the IOA representatives tonight."

Sam looked ready to argue but she decided against it. She said, "Yeah, sure."

Still holding Grace, Sam got up and Daniel kissed her. He then took Grace from her, and said with a grin, "Hey, Gracie, you gonna finish up before the end of the decade?"

Daniel took Sam's seat and continued to feed the little girl. Sam laughed quietly as Grace proceeded to talk around mouthfuls again. Sam was about to leave when she heard Daniel explain to a confused Grace,

"It's Mommy's nap time."

"Why?"

"Because it is. Eat up."

"Why?"

Daniel sighed and then began to eat Grace's food. He raised his eyebrows teasingly, and said, "Well, if you won't eat, Daddy's still hungry."

Grace stared at him and then promptly burst into tears. Getting quite angry, she clenched her fists and started shouting unintelligibly at him. Sam sighed tiredly and went back into the kitchen and attempted to pick Grace up. However, Daniel said,

"It's okay, Sam. I got this covered."

He then proceeded to hush the girl, bouncing her up and down. When the tears had subsided, Daniel looked at her intensely, and said, "That's what is going to happen each time you talk instead of eating. Now, what are you going to do?"

Sam muttered tiredly, "Not exactly the best discipline, Daniel..."

Grace sullenly reached for the spoon, and Daniel smiled slightly. He said, "Good girl. You talk all day, everyday... it's not like you lose out if you don't talk while eating."

Daniel looked up at Sam guiltily. He said quietly, "Not exactly how I wanted to discipline her either."

Sam leaned down to kiss him, replying, "No, you did good. She's actually quiet for once." She smiled as Grace quietly ate, and she continued, "Hopefully she won't hold a grudge against you for too long."

Sam then left the kitchen, heading for bed. As she did so, she heard Daniel remark, "Why did I marry a Carter?"

Sam laughed and called from the stairs, "Because you just can't get enough of me."


	15. Healing

**Prompt #043 – Healing**

_**Summary: **Daniel struggles to cope_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Continuum_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Drama, Episode-related, Hurt/Comfort, Relationship_

_**A/U: **missing scene for Continuum_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel stared out of the window. He had forgotten just how procrastinating such a task could be. If he had been back home – back in his own timeline – such a thing would be impossible. There was always work, work, work... and well, the SGC didn't have windows. But now, he was stuck in this godforsaken place, where everything was wrong. Worse than that, he had been separated from his friends. He didn't know where they were or how to contact them. In days of old, they would have worked together to fix things – to save Earth – but now it looked as though this was the end.

What didn't help also was the fact that he had lost a leg. It had been amputated because of the frostbite he had got while stranded in the Arctic. It was a miracle that Jack... or _Colonel O'Neill_ as he thought of the man in this timeline who wasn't quite the Jack that he knew... and his men had found him in time.

Now he was alone, and minus one leg. No-one would let the remaining members of SG-1 do their job and right the wrong. But then what right had they to do such a thing – to change a world which these people knew to be _right_? Sometimes he thought that this General Landry had had a point. They had been arrogant to think they could do it – to make decisions for billions of people throughout time and space. This wasn't a relatively simple _save the world _mission... this was somehow bigger than that. They had made decisions for the Earth before now – many times – but perhaps they had overreached themselves.

Daniel continued to stare out of his apartment window and a stray tear rolled down his cheek. A hand rubbed the join between what was left of his real leg and the prosthetic one that he had been given. They had lost Teal'c and Vala, and everyone else they had known. All that he, Sam and Mitchell had were each other, and they couldn't even have that. His heart clenched in his chest as he thought of Sam and how they had both argued albeit in vain to be allowed to live together.

He turned suddenly on hearing a key turn in the lock of the front door. Before he could reach for his cane, the door opened, and Sam was standing there. She looked close to tears as she dropped her bag at her side. He stared at her, daring to hope that she wasn't a hallucination. She seemed different – her hair was a little longer, and she was wearing glasses instead of her usual contact lenses.

Gathering herself quickly, she closed the door behind her and took her glasses off. As she dumped her bag by the door, Daniel said, "Sam?"

He got to his feet and they stared at each other once again. She said quietly, "Sit down, Daniel."

He slowly did, and she approached him. Finally, tears ran down her cheeks, and she kissed him. He stood up again and hugged her tightly; so tight that she could barely breathe, but she didn't care – not now. Tears of his own coming down his cheeks, he gazed at her, worried. He said,

"You'll be caught. I don't know what they'll do to you."

She shook her head. Resting her forehead against his, she closed her eyes as did he. She finally looked at him, and said, "No... we've got one night."

He frowned, confused. He said, "One night?"

She nodded. "Yeah." She appeared momentarily sheepish. "They caught me trying to find you and Cam." She looked away briefly with regret, and said, "They still won't let me see Cam, but they let me see you. I think they thought it some sort of a compromise to stop me causing trouble."

They gazed at one another sadly, knowing that one night wouldn't give them the solace and the healing they needed. Neither would it solve all or any of their problems or change this nightmare of an alternate timeline once and for all. It wouldn't even let them say to each other all the things that they wanted or needed to say – all the things they had stored up in their heads in imaginary conversations.

But it was something, and neither was willing to waste this opportunity which they had been given. Wordlessly, he and Sam walked to his bed, and she sat him down. She kissed him and then began to undress him, stopping him from doing the same to her. She kissed his ear and whispered,

"It's just like after we brought the Ark back... just relax."

He pouted, looking a little frustrated. "You know I don't like doing that."

She smiled as she kneeled next to him on the bed. She said, "I know." Her hand then went to his belt, and she said, her smile fading, "Come on, let me have a look at the new leg."


	16. White

**Prompt #019 – White**

_**Summary: **Sam prepares for a very special day_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel, tiny mentions of Sam/Pete and Sam/Jonas (the 'blink and you'll miss 'em' kind of tiny)_

_**Rating: **K+_

_**Season: **10-ish_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Holiday/Special Occasion, Relationship_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

This was a far cry from the uniforms she wore on base or off-world, or on visits to the White House. It wasn't close to the denim and leather in which she spent her free time in, either. It felt rather odd wearing something so – well – girly. This wasn't how she had envisioned her life while she was a girl staring up at the stars and solving maths problems. Other girls had spent hours dreaming of this, but she had dreamt of going into Space.

And now she was going into Space, on a very regular basis while many of those same girls had families of their own.

Sam looked down in amazement at the sheer volume of silk around her. Seated as she was on the end of her bed, the material looked even more voluminous and awkward. In her lap, she held her bouquet – overflowing with flowers she had grown herself.

White and pink roses, and lilies of the valley.

With tears in her eyes, she caught sight of herself in the full length mirror. At first, she barely recognised herself. She thought ruefully that she had never got as far as this during her previous engagements. In many ways, she was glad. But it still didn't stop the butterflies in her stomach.

But then she smiled. This was the start of something new. She was surrounded by an inordinate amount of material which was inappropriately white... but that didn't take away from the fact that soon she was to be even closer to a certain blue-eyed archaeologist than she had been previously. She felt a little silly dressed up as she was, but it was a small price to pay.

The more she stared at herself in the mirror, the more she came to the conclusion that she couldn't even consider it a _price_. It was one actualisation of many sleepless nights spent worrying over details like this, and details like potential alien foothold situations and whether she would be able to run should anything happen.

Of course, with her outfit out of the way, the other issues remained not dealt with... but for now, they seemed a lifetime away. She was actually going to get married. She was actually going to get married to Daniel Jackson. Despite her jitters, she couldn't help but grin as she wiped away some tears.

On hearing someone ascend the stairs, she took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She got to her feet and checked her hair and make-up one last time. She smiled at herself reassuringly in the mirror, telling herself that the nerves were normal; that she was doing the right thing.

Gathering her bouquet, she looked around hers and Daniel's room for the last time as an unmarried woman. As someone knocked on the door, she looked at the pictures of her parents on the nightstand. Thinking of the others who also couldn't be present, she opened the door and left the room.


	17. Green

**Prompt #014 – Green**

_**Summary: **Nothing escapes the Chief Medical Officer of the SGC_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel, Sam/Jack, Sam/Martouf_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **4_

_**Category: **UST_

_**Genres: **A/U, Angst, Drama, Episode-related, Friendship, Tragedy_

_**A/N: **tag for Divide and Conquer_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When all was done, once the Tok'ra had permitted Sam to pay her last respects to Martouf, Janet conducted medical examinations on each of SG-1. If there was only one thing that Janet Frasier had kept her faith in, it was medicine; that is to say, the field in which she had trained and the system of ethics that came with it rather than the bizarre cacophony of experiments the Tok'ra conducted. She often crossed swords with the Tok'ra over their rather callous prioritising of science over the wellbeing of the individual. She had even crossed swords with SG-1 too on a number of occasions for their apparent disregard for their own wellbeings.

With the help of another doctor and some nurses, she conducted routine post-mission exams on each of SG-1. Colonel O'Neill had been his usual vaguely obstinate self, although he seemed to be putting in even less effort than usual. What they had gone through recently, as a team, and as individuals, had been emotionally taxing so she had thought nothing of it.

Teal'c had been mostly silent, but polite. She liked performing his physical examinations because out of the whole team, it was only Teal'c who didn't instantly argue with her. Of course, if Teal'c didn't want to do anything or be subjected to anything, he would simply walk out. As rare as those moments were during his medical exams, she did like them too, after a fashion, as they usually ended up bonding over various items of confectionery in the Commissary.

Sam was unusually quiet and just submitted herself lifelessly to the exam. But she had lost someone very dear to her. Sam also held memories of another life and another time where Martouf had held a much bigger role. And she had been forced to kill him. Janet couldn't know what Sam was going through, but she offered to help nonetheless. Minutes later, once Janet had persuaded her to come on road trip with her and Cassie, Sam seemed to cheer up a little.

Daniel too was unusually quiet and submissive. Usually he would hold at least two different conversations – one with Jack about what had happened on the mission or the latest hockey match they had watched, and another with her. Sometimes, though, if he had accidentally drank something alcoholic off-world with his allergy medication, she found it hard to get him to focus on her or to sit still. Now, however, he seemed down.

Once Janet had completed the examination, she drew the curtains around the gurney on which Daniel was seated. She turned towards the rest of the Infirmary briefly, catching sight of his team-mates waiting in a nearby doorway. She looked back at Daniel to see him look up at them and then back down again, looking far sadder than he had earlier appeared to be.

Janet looked back again and saw Teal'c waiting patiently; while Colonel O'Neill and Sam looked at each other, and then awkwardly looked away again, several times. Janet turned to look back at Daniel, seeing him look just as awkward, and the doctor realised something. She touched Daniel's arm, and he looked up at her, the archaeologist looking very tired.

She nodded at him and said quietly, "I don't care what that Tok'ra machine said... and neither should you. I know Sam."

Daniel shook his head a little and looked down at his hands resolutely. He said softly, "Try telling that to those two."

He sighed and slid off the gurney, and she was dismayed to see that his despair and jealousy was now hidden behind an emotionless mask. Without looking at her, he silently left the Infirmary, half-heartedly acknowledging his friends. Janet watched as SG-1 left, and she exhaled. She shook her head and glanced at a doctor who was now standing next to her. Janet said,

"Stupid Tok'ra machine. That poor boy's miserable."

The doctor checked a clipboard, and replied, "Well... that's something for you to hint at to Major Carter on the way to New York. Long drive."

They went back to work, and Janet remarked with a sigh, "Indeed."


	18. Clouds

**Prompt #097 – Clouds**

_**Summary: **Snapshots of Sam's life._

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel, Sam/Martouf/Lantash (briefly), little bit of Sam/Jack, _

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **post-Continuum_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Angst, Drama, Romance, SongFic, Tragedy_

_**A/N: **lyrics featured are Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell. The last scene is inspired by one of Amanda Tapping's recent posts on Twitter._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"_Rows and flows of angel hair  
And ice cream castles in the air  
And feather canyons everywhere  
I've looked at clouds that way_..."

A very young Samantha Carter, or 'Sam' as she frequently insists upon, skips through the woods. She breathlessly stops in order to peek inside the basket she carries. She smiles, reassured that all is well, and she resumes skipping. Long dark blonde hair falls down her back – hair which she has fought tooth and nail with her mother to have cut. That was before the princess phase. Now her mother watches in despair as Sam insists on seeing how long her hair will go. Her dreams are filled with Rapunzel flying to the stars.

"_But now they only block the sun  
They rain and snow on everyone  
So many things I would have done  
But clouds got in my way  
I've looked at clouds from both sides now_..."

Cut forward to a teenage Sam. She stares out of the window as the heavy rain hits the pane. Her world has darkened considerably. Her mother is gone. Her father is away, and her brother won't talk to anyone.

She stares out with sad eyes, her soul dying with each breath she takes. Tears won't fall because she's cried them all. But her heart continues to cry. Her mother is gone. She has no-one else to fight with over dress and make-up choices. No-one to go shopping with on a Saturday afternoon.

No-one had ever told her that this day could come. Logically, it would have, but long into the future perhaps when Sam had a family and babies of her own. But not now. Other girls still had their mothers. Other girls did things that families did. But not her.

Now, with her algebra homework forgotten on her lap, all she can do is look out at the burgeoning storm clouds. All she can do now is long in vain for the innocence that she once had. Things were better when she didn't know what this felt like; when she didn't know that anyone could feel like this.

"_From up and down, and still somehow  
It's cloud illusions I recall  
I really don't know clouds at all_..."

She looks up at the clouds above her. She knows their names – their appearance and characteristics. But all the knowledge seems so hollow when she had no-one to share it with. Her father is away working; her brother is at college; and her boyfriend dumped her for someone who, in his own words, '... _I can talk to without feeling stupid_...'

Alone she stands in the middle of a dark field. She looks up as the clouds move across the sky, parting in places, and she sees the stars. These are her only friends now. Wherever she goes, whatever she does, she will always have the sky, and perhaps all that lies beyond.

One day, she thinks, one day when she's an astronaut, she'll be able to see all that lies beyond.

"_Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels  
The dizzy dancing way you feel  
As ev'ry fairy tale comes real  
I've looked at love that way_..."

At night, little Sam Carter dreams of travelling to the moon. She dreams of Gene Kelly dancing in the Sea of Tranquility; Audrey Hepburn smoking from a cigarette holder, as she flirts her way around the original moon landing site.

Sometimes she dreams of soaring; higher and higher, faster and faster. At once, she is Amelia Earhart flying over the Atlantic; Amy Johnson flying solo from Britain to Australia. She's also Valentina Tereshkova orbiting the Earth. Pushing frontiers of knowledge and of territories. Oh, one day, one day she'll do that. She's going to be the first astronaut on another planet.

Sam smiles in her sleep as she clutches her teddy bear, Einstein. Like the teddy's namesake, she's going to change the world.

"_But now it's just another show  
You leave 'em laughing when you go  
And if you care, don't let them know  
Don't give yourself away_..."

Major Carter's crying. She can't stop crying. She has never cried so much – not when she had lost her mother. Not when she had lost Daniel, or the Colonel or Teal'c. Not even when she had lost Martouf and Lantash, or when she was close to losing Cassie and even her own father. She never knew it could hurt so much, losing someone she would now never meet.

She keeps on crying – the tears only stop when she sleeps, and sometimes even then, she continues to cry.

She can't tell when, but she knows that at some points various members of SG-1 were by her side, and even her father. She knows she felt Daniel's touch on her cheek, his reassuring presence next to her; and his familiar voice speaking words which she forgets but which she nonetheless takes to heart.

She wants him to hold her but he won't. She's vaguely aware of things attached to her, and she feels very weak. The pain won't go, but she needs him. He's there, but not enough, and it hurts her even more.

"_I've looked at love from both sides now  
From give and take, and still somehow  
It's love's illusions I recall  
__I really don't know love at all_..."

Samantha Carter stands in the wet sand, the tide lapping at her ankles. In the skirt of her sun dress, she's got an array of pebbles and seashells. She would have got seaweed as well, but it has rarely made it back in the car on previous trips to the beach.

Making sure nothing falls from her skirt, she tosses a pebble into the water. Another. Then another. She keeps going until there's nothing left but bits of wet sand. She lets go of her skirt, ignoring the fact that it is now sandy and sodden.

She gives and she gives, and she gets little in return. She gives by living, by doing good, by doing her homework... but all life has done is take. Her mother. Her life. Her pebbles. Her shells. All she can do now is hope she gets into the Air Force Academy. This time, she will not let life take her dreams away.

"_Tears and fears and feeling proud  
To say "I love you" right out loud  
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds  
I've looked at life that way_..."

She can't kiss him. If she does, she'll never stop. Oh, but she has to. He's here. He's back. She thought he had died. In fact, she didn't know what had happened to him during that year. That didn't matter now. No. He's here. Right here. She isn't dreaming any more – he's here. She can touch him. She can feel his heartbeat beneath her fingertips. She feels his breaths quicken.

She smiles as he kisses her. Once again, after so long, she feels so very loved. She could just about jump up on this mountain ridge and declare her love for him to the city. She blushes a little. She's already done that. Many times.

She's reminded again that with him the excitement never stops. It's as though she's free-falling with him, and she doesn't care. They could be arrested for indecent exposure soon... but she doesn't care. And it would be so worth it.

"_But now old friends are acting strange  
They shake their heads, they say I've changed  
Well something's lost, but something's gained  
In living every day_..."

Major Carter enters a lift at the SGC, and she finds herself next to Colonel O'Neill. She smiles in greeting and then looks straight ahead, politely waiting for the lift to reach her floor. Suddenly, he says,

"You're humming."

She looks at him in confusion, and then she looks nervous. She says, "Sir?"

"Humming. With a 'h'." He raises his eyebrows. "Seeing someone, huh? Who's the unlucky fella?"

She begins to look awkward. This whole 'unknown' between he and her had certain unspoken conditions. Chiefly, there was the one where boyfriends had to be 'cleared' with him. Well, they didn't... because there was nothing between her and her commanding officer. That realisation had allowed her to move on and actually be happy for a change.

But, the elephant in the room remained. She should have said something. Not just now, but before now. She should have cleared the air and, well, said the unsaid.

She's considering bolting from the lift as soon as it reaches her floor, but it takes its sweet time. The Colonel looks to the front again. He eventually smirks, and says,

"You've changed." When she looks at him in confusion, he turns to her. He says, "You're happy, Carter. Don't let that go." He nodded as though considering something. "Also, don't let it get in the way of your work."

The lift stops and he gets out. Just as the doors begin to close, he smiles. He says, "Danny might get too distracted to pull off those amazing things he does."

The doors close, and Sam stares at them, absolutely shocked. Had she and Daniel been that obvious?

"_I've looked at life from both sides now  
From win and lose and still somehow  
It's life's illusions I recall  
I really don't know life at all  
I've looked at life from both sides now  
From up and down, and still somehow  
It's life's illusions I recall  
I really don't know life at all_..."

Colonel and Doctor Jackson sit in front of the TV, a small fair-haired child between them. They sit with their heads almost touching, their arms protectively around their daughter as they watch Bambi. If only their friends could see them now, but they didn't care. This was worth coming home early for.

Sam smiles, paying more attention to how she feels than what she's seeing. She feels warm and loved. For once, she gets more love than she can give. As the little girl is entranced by the animated animals dancing across the screen, Sam looks over her head at Daniel. Daniel manages to tear his eyes from the screen, and she kisses him.

Life may have given them all a raw deal most of the time... but it was moments like these she would remember in her lowest moments. Moments like these would give her strength and remind her that life hadn't abandoned her. With the wars over, perhaps there would be more moments like this. She hugged her daughter even tighter and the Jacksons watched a Disney production together.


	19. Blue

**Prompt #015 – Blue**

_**Summary: **Musings in blue_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **post-Meridian_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Angst, Drabble, Tragedy_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The sky stretched above her, a seeming endless stretch of deep blue, interspersed with fluffy white clouds.

Blue.

Blue, like his eyes. Eyes that could show so much anger and pain. Eyes that could show compassion and love and trust. Eyes that had made her believe she could do anything.

Blue, like the agapanthus blossoms he had given her just last week, and which she now kept on her nightstand.

Blue, like the crystal vase they were kept in.

Blue, like her heart without him. She quietly wept as she considered living the rest of her life without him.

Blue.


	20. Who?

**Prompt #076 – Who?**

_**Summary: **Surprises through the Stargate were expected by now... but nothing quite like this._

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel-ish, Daniel/Vala-ish_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Season 10_

_**Category: **Friendship_

_**Genres: **A/U, Drama, Friendship, Teaminess_

_**A/N: **I really want to write a bigger story with this plot line... and I might some day, time permitting. :o)_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Just another day. There weren't many days where he actually got bored in the control room. There was just nothing happening. He had performed all the 'gate diagnostics and checks; sometimes twice, just so he had something to do. Still nothing. Usually by now someone would attempt to contact the SGC with some interesting piece of intel about the Ori threat or a minor Goa'uld uprising. Usually something would have happened by now, like a shooting or a member of SG-1 being abducted.

But nothing.

SG-3 were scheduled to call in from a pretty much routine mission on a safe planet. SG-1, the biggest trouble magnets on the SGC payroll, were all on some much-deserved and needed leave. SG-20 were surveying some ruins on some tiny planet somewhere.

Normal: a word seldom used at the SGC.

Even General Landry hadn't paged him. The less said about him, the better as he had already annoyed him greatly by frequently checking to see if he needed anything.

Making sure there was a technician nearby, Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman left his seat and went for a walk.

He had barely ascended the stairs from the control room to the briefing room when the unscheduled wormhole activation siren blared, and his pager buzzed seconds later. Walter scurried back down the stairs to find a group of baffled technicians at his computer. Walter eventually managed to get to his seat as Landry appeared.

Walter frowned as he looked at his computer screen in disbelief. He then looked up through the window, and down at the Stargate, which was covered by the Iris. He shook his head and then looked up at a now impatient Landry. Walter said,

"Sir, it's an IDC we haven't even issued yet. This can't be right."

Landry said, "Send a message through."

"Already doing that, Sir."

They and everyone else, however, looked through the window in shock as the Iris appeared to wobble. Landry glanced down at Walter for an explanation but found him gaping at the sight. The General grabbed a phone and barked into it, "Get me Colonel Carter!"

Seconds later, the Iris appeared to buckle and then vaguely mould around a human figure. There was a small flash of yellow light while armed soldiers mobilised themselves in the gateroom, guns and rocket launchers aimed at the Stargate. But all gaped as the metal appeared to move like water around the human figure, and then a young woman with long light brown hair and black BDUs, stepped forth and casually surveyed her surroundings. Not batting an eyelid at the armed men, she called up to the control room,

"Hey, um..." She paused in surprise, and continued, "... ooh, boy this is bad. Look, I had the right code this time, I know I did. What the hell's goin' on? You're not even supposed to be here."

Walter continued to gape, Landry looking completely puzzled as he stared at the girl. Now relaxed, but watchful all the same, she then looked around at the soldiers. She said, "Oh, relax, boys."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam, dressed in civilian clothes, sprinted down some stairs at the SGC and then down a corridor. As she did so, she tried to ignore the weird looks she got from people because of her attire, and because of the many near-misses between herself and fellow employees. She slowed to a jog so as not to scare anyone else, and eventually made it to the briefing room.

She found Landry waiting next to the window with Cam, while Daniel and Teal'c were seated at the briefing table. Sam remarked, a touch breathlessly, "Sorry, Sir... your message said it was important, hence..." She waved weakly at the jeans and blouse she was wearing. She then straightened up. "What is it?"

Cam, in blue fatigues, who had looked mildly amused up until then, then turned to look at the General expectantly. Landry said, "Someone came through the Stargate an hour ago..."

He nodded at Daniel, who pressed a button on a remote control he had been holding. Sam took a seat next to the archaeologist as the TV switched on, and an image of a young woman with long brown hair appeared. Daniel pressed another button, and they watched as the image came to life. The woman sighed in answer to a barely audible question. She said, annoyed,

"For cryin' out loud, for the last time, I can't and won't give you my name until I see Colonel..." There was a tiny pause as though she was trying to remember something. She then said, "...Carter. Colonel Samantha Carter."

There was a pause as another question was answered, and the woman replied, still annoyed, "Look, evidently, there's been a mistake." She sighed again as her interviewer interrupted her, and she continued, "Okay, fine, you want the truth? What the hell do you think I've been telling you?!" She said with forced calmness, "I was returning from P9C-292... which is Kheb, if you're gonna push me again. We were conducting an archaeological survey of the area behind the temple."

Another pause, and then she continued, "SG-3, Doctor Cameron Balinsky, and my brother." The woman said, "Look, we're just going in circles here. Who the hell would make this shit up? Where's Colonel Carter?"

Daniel paused the recording, and said, "It goes on for quite a while." He looked at Sam, and continued, "She's now refusing to say anything until she sees you."

Sam looked from Daniel to Landry. She said, "Well, is she safe?"

Landry looked at Cam, who grimaced awkwardly. Cam said, "She's also refused a medical exam until she sees you."

Teal'c cleared his throat and said to Sam, "I will accompany you to the holding room. We have already ascertained that she does not carry anything upon her person of a harmful nature."

Sam nodded slowly and then looked at Daniel for an explanation. Daniel glanced at Cam, and replied, "Bill scanned her. That was the only thing she'd permit to."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam was escorted along a corridor by her male team-mates. The silence, interspersed with bootfalls and the occasional cough, actually started to worry her. She glanced at the men at her side, but remained silent, because she had nothing to say... and idle speculation of what was to come, especially in cases like this, usually turned out to be way off the mark, in their line of work. She couldn't help but think that they knew something that she didn't, however.

Still, she hoped it wasn't a harbinger of doom, or rather more doom than they were already edging towards. While it would be nice to get rid of the Ori, she and everyone else knew that it would only be a matter of time before something possibly bigger filled the power vacuum while the Jaffa picked themselves up from the last bump in the road.

They at last neared one of the holding rooms, outside of which were two armed guards. Nodding in greeting to them, Cam took the lead to open the door and usher his team in. They found Vala seated opposite the woman from the video, at a table, playing cards. Daniel none too subtly told Vala to get up, and Sam slowly took her seat as the young woman opposite stared at her.

The woman then looked up to see the rest of SG-1 standing in a horizontal line behind Sam's chair; Daniel and Vala trying to remain straight-faced as they had a rather childish albeit silent argument involving the occasional nudge and stamp. The woman then looked at Sam, and asked,

"Do _they_ have to be here?"

Sam replied, "They're not going anywhere, even if I told them to." The Colonel nodded. "Now first, your name."

The younger woman nodded tightly. She said, "Mel."

"Last name?"

Mel shook her head, and said, "Nope, I can't. Your rules. And, yes, before you ask, that is my real first name."

Sam said, annoyed, "How did you get through the Iris? How do you know my name?"

Mel sighed and rubbed her face tiredly. She replied quietly, "I can't tell you anything... you really have to trust me here. I'm from the future: somehow the SGC missed a solar flare in their calculations." Mel looked up at the ceiling, and then back at Sam. "I'm sorry. I know I'm not giving you much, but please... I really need your help to get home again. I shouldn't be here."

Sam folded her arms across her chest and sat back in her chair. She said, "Well, young lady, you're not leaving here until you give me some real answers."

Mel tiredly mirrored the Colonel's posture and challenging expression. Both women missed the looks of surprise exchanged by the rest of SG-1 as they looked from one woman to the other. Sam said to Mel,

"Well?"

Mel replied harshly, "Okay, but if you kill me when I get home again, it's your fault." Her eyes flashed dangerously as she continued, "Whole truth, huh? You sure you want it?"

Sam simply glared coldly in answer, and Mel then said huffily, "Fine. My name's Mel... that's Melanie Grace Jackson on my dog tags." As jaws hit the ground all round, Mel continued, "Now please don't ask for a date of birth... I'm already in a lot of trouble just telling you my name."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

**to be continued... in the next prompt: children**


	21. Children

**Prompt #028 – Children**

_**Summary: **SG-1 are left reeling by Mel's revelations, but can they ignore them?_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Jack-ish, Daniel-Vala-ish, Sam/Daniel, Cam/Carolyn-ish_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Season 10_

_**Category: **New Romance_

_**Genres: **A/U, Drama, Friendship, Relationship, Romance, Teaminess_

_**A/N: **part 2 of Who? (the prompt before this one)_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam and everyone else stared at the young woman before them. She had just effectively implied that she was related to Daniel somehow; yet she had asked for Sam. But there was something that Sam had spotted earlier but had thought nothing of it. Now, there it was again. Something quite familiar about the girl; something which she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Mel looked across the table, and said entreatingly, "Mom, please..."

Everyone else stared on in even more shock, if that was indeed possible. Sam tried to think of something to say, to keep the interrogation going, but she couldn't. The Colonel got to her feet, muttering an apology as her friends parted to let her leave. Mel got up, calling after her,

"Mom!"

All she got in reply, however, was the rest of SG-1 looking at her grimly as the door closed. She then watched as they left, Daniel the last to do so. He glanced back at the girl with a wistful expression. The wistfulness was then replaced by anger that perhaps she was trying to trick them.

Mel, now tearful at being rejected, said, "Dad..."

Daniel suddenly looked hurt and then angry again. He left the room, and Mel flopped back down in her seat, the girl looking dejected.

Outside, the team ran after a fast walking Sam, who had already almost reached the lifts. Cam called after her, "Sam!"

The doors of the lift opened and Sam got in. She turned around to face her team when Cam put his arm in to prevent the doors from closing, but she avoided looking in Daniel's direction. Sam said, visibly upset,

"Just... don't follow me."

Vala asked, worried, "What about the girl?"

Cam said in concern, "C'mon, girl, you've seen plenty freakier. Don't leave like this."

Daniel looked at Cam snippily, and said, "Name _one_ thing freakier."

While Cam floundered, Teal'c said, "ColonelCarter, you must accompany us to brief GeneralLandry. Fleeing will not remedy your shock."

Sam pushed away Cam's arm as tears involuntarily rolled down her cheeks. Rubbing her eyes on her arm, she shook her head. She said, "Sorry... I'm going."

The doors closed with a metallic thud, leaving the rest of SG-1 to exchange helpless glances.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In an isolation room in the Infirmary, Mel put her BDUs back on following a series of tests. She was about to put her jacket back on when she thought better of it and folded it, leaving it on the gurney next to her. She had just done this when there was a knock at the door. A tired Mel snapped,

"Not like you to be so polite after all those tests..."

She paused in shock however when the door opened, and Daniel's head appeared. He said drily, "Bad time?"

She cleared her throat and retorted, "Well, certainly not a good time, Doctor J." She nodded in the direction of the door. "Has the old guy said when I can go yet?" Her gaze softened a little. "I really have to get home. I've caused enough crap." She then gestured to the chair next to the gurney. "Dad, sit down."

Daniel regarded her warily as he remained standing in front of the door, his arms folded tightly across his chest. Mel sighed and waved dismissively. She said, "Stand up, sit down – what do I care?"

She grimaced as she looked down at her feet, waiting for Daniel's inevitable questioning. She didn't have to wait long.

"Who are you?"

She replied tiredly, "I told you."

"From the top." Daniel grabbed a chair and sat down, watching her. "And don't say things like 'long story', because I've got all the time in the world."

Mel cocked her head as she watched him. She said, "No you haven't. You guys had... _have_ the Ori threat to deal with. And I know you. Work above all, huh?" She smiled a little as she looked away into the distance. "Not with Mom though. Work and Mom above all."

Her smile vanished when her gaze moved back to Daniel, who regarded her coldly. She rolled her eyes and then said, "Fine. Melanie Grace Carter-Jackson." She pointed at him, and said, "Oh, and before you act all innocent, I'm named after your Dad and Mom's Mom. And can I just say... I am so glad I'm not a boy. Not quite sure whether I'd cope with being called 'Melburn'. No offence, but it's kinda dusty. I think Jake's lucky he wasn't born first."

Daniel blinked, and said, "Jake?"

She smiled mischievously. "Oh yeah, my little brother. He'd better be still called 'Jake' when I get home, or there'll be trouble." She slumped, looking deflated. "Hey, Dad, come on, I wanna go home already. I miss the little stink bug...and of course, you guys. Don't tell any of them I said that." She looked at Daniel, Mel looking penitent, "Tell Mo-... Colonel Carter I'm sorry. I like freaking her out when she knows me already." She then chuckled softly. "Sorry... once I start talking, I have trouble stopping. My Uncle Jack said that I'm like you when you've had one beer."

He blinked again. "Uncle Jack?"

"Oh, come on, I know who Jack O'Neill is." She tried to stop herself from laughing but then couldn't help it. She said, reddening, "Sorry... it's just that in my time, Uncle Jack has embarrassing gas problems."

Daniel nodded cautiously. "Oh." He frowned, and asked, "How did you get here?"

Mel replied awkwardly, "Seriously, your guess is as good as mine. I'm an archaeologist. But I've got a sneaking suspicion that it was a freaky solar flare. That's why I wanted Mom so I could get the hell out of here before I made a tonne of trouble." She shrugged. "Well, I haven't started fading yet so I figure I'm fine for now."

Before Daniel could speak, Mel asked, "Am I right in assuming that you and Mom aren't a 'them' yet?" She gesticulated vaguely with her hands. "The stories from before I was born are sorta vague... and you guys kinda get mixed up about stuff. Seriously, Uncle Jack has a better memory than either of you... or you just can't agree upon a story to tell the kids yet. Hmm."

Daniel remarked with a frown, "Do you ever stop talking?"

Mel laughed a little, and said, "That's funny. You always say that to me, and I always answer 'no'. Before I enlisted, I usually got grounded for that."

"Enlisted?"

"Oh yeah... that's Lieutenant Jackson, by the way. Air Force." She grinned and ducked her head. "Yeah... you were pissed at me." Her smile faded and she looked at him. ".. but I'd heard all those stories about Grandpa... you know, Mom's Dad. Not sure if I'd ever want a Tok'ra in me _ever_... but you know, the guy's a part of me."

Noticing that Daniel was lost for words, she shrugged and smiled bashfully, in a way that reminded him a little of Sam. Mel said, "Not many times a Jackson can't think of anything to say. This must be big."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam, now dressed in an SGC uniform, stood in front of Landry's office, the Colonel looking awkward. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door, and then opened it on hearing the General call for her to enter. She saw Landry seated behind his desk, and Doctor Lam seated in one of the chairs in front of the desk. Sam tried not to look uncomfortable as she said,

"Sir, you wanted to see me?"

Landry nodded, and said, "Take a seat, Colonel."

Sam nodded in greeting to Carolyn as she took a seat next to the doctor. Sam looked at Landry expectantly, but he looked to his daughter. Sam then looked down at her hands, somehow knowing what was to come but not entirely wanting to listen to it all the same.

Carolyn passed the reluctant Colonel a paper folder, and the doctor said, "This is absolutely extraordinary. I've conducted blood and DNA tests on Lieutenant Jackson..."

Sam looked up sharply from the folder she had been reading. She asked, "Lieutenant?"

Carolyn replied, "It's all in the file there. Her dog tags say she's a Lieutenant in the Air Force." She smiled briefly. "She's also an archaeologist." The doctor cleared her throat, and continued, "Anyway, I've had to triple-test my results, just to make sure."

When Sam looked at her, Carolyn said, "Lieutenant Jackson is the daughter of you and Doctor Jackson. I really cannot begin to explain it. She has your mitochondrial DNA, a type of DNA which is passed from mother to child; as opposed to nuclear DNA which is passed from both parents to their offspring. She also has naquadah in her blood and your protein markers from the Tok'ra, Jolinar."

Sam simply looked down in shock at the folder in her hands. She had tried so hard to believe that it couldn't possibly be true. For once, she had hoped albeit rather darkly that the girl was an alien threat so at least she could be dealt with and things could go back to how they had been.

She looked up on hearing the General cough, and he said, "Colonel Carter. I understand this is quite a shock to you, but..."

Sam nodded, looking more nervous than sure of herself. She said, "I know, Sir. She needs to go back. I'll get right on it." She looked down, trying not to say what she actually had to say. She finally looked up and said, "I'll need to talk to her if I'm going to get the calculations right."

Landry replied, "Of course. She's in the VIP quarters on level twenty-five."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel closed the door and walked away from the VIP quarters in which his daughter was now staying. His daughter. The words sounded weird to say the least. Jack had once remarked albeit in jest that Daniel had left a string of paternity suits around the universe... but even the big wise-cracking General himself could not have foreseen this. Daniel thought wryly to himself that perhaps Jack would probably hit him if he found out about this development.

Daniel had always hidden the way he felt about Sam. He had known a long time, but sometimes unrequited love had to remain unrequited: especially when the focus of said affections was currently enamoured with her former commanding officer. She could never feel that way for him... and why should she? What exactly had he done to show her how he had felt? All he had done was just quietly bow out while she and Jack made eyes at each other.

But the time he had spent talking to Melanie, or at least being talked _at_ by her, had shown him that Sam could indeed feel for him that way; and while Jack was around too. What had happened in that timeline for that Sam and that Daniel to be so open about their feelings, and to have a family together? They weren't talking about an alternate universe here – this was their future... or at least a possible future for them.

Well, obviously, the prospect of having a child with him had been too much for Sam. He didn't blame her for hiding: she must have been disappointed that it wasn't Jack's.

Haunted by and filled with such thoughts, Daniel didn't see Sam until she almost knocked him over, the preoccupied Colonel coming from the other direction. After a moment of awkwardness, Sam said, surprised,

"Daniel! What are you doing here?"

Daniel pointed behind him as he replied, "Just went to see the Lieutenant." He raised his eyebrows briefly and then glanced away from her. "Quite a story, isn't it?"

Sam replied a little too quickly, "Yes, quite a story indeed. I mean, you know, she claims to be from the future, but the future isn't set in stone. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle says that you can't know at any one time, where a particle is and how fast it's going. It's... it's preposterous. She's probably just from another universe and confused."

He replied unenthusiastically, "Yeah. That's probably it."

She replied, sounding nervous, "Of course. How silly would that be?"

"Yes. _Silly_. Wait 'til Jack hears." Daniel sighed and said, not looking at her, "I'm just gonna go do some work now."

A troubled Sam watched him go, and then she mentally kicked herself. '_Yeah, way to go, Samantha. Way to go.' _With a sigh of her own, she continued walking to the VIP quarters.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In Sam's lab, Sam was typing away furiously at her laptop while Mel walked around the room, looking at various things. Every so often, however, Sam would catch a glimpse of the young woman and feelings surfaced; feelings which she hadn't allowed to surface previously. She was looking at her daughter: at her own flesh and blood. At some point in the future – _a _future – she must have gone mad and told Daniel how she felt about him.

That point must have been within the same year: according to her calculations from the data provided by Mel, and her own observations. That was indeed preposterous: even if Daniel did feel the same, they had little opportunity to have free time. As it was, today had been a fluke. Well, until Landry had called her: first, about someone penetrating the Iris, and then, about the newcomer.

Being called in from home happened too many times to be considered a fluke.

Sam glanced at the doorway, making sure there was no-one around. As it was, she hoped the security team weren't monitoring her right now. As though sensing she wanted to say something, Mel turned, and asked,

"What is it, Mom?"

Sam flinched once again at what Mel had called her. The Colonel then said, "Um..." She paused. "Lieutenant, are you sure about..."

Mel rolled her eyes and bounded towards the lab table. She said, amazed, "My goodness, _Samantha_, you can be quite slow." She winked. "Hey, every time I call you 'Mom', you look like I've punched you." Mel smirked. "Man, that's the first time I call you by your first name and not get grounded." Her smile faded. "Anywho... yeah, I'm pretty sure you and Daniel out there are my parents. Really. For cryin' out loud, even Auntie C is."

"Auntie C?"

"Oh, um, Doctor Mit... oops, Doctor Lam. You know, the little dark haired doctor you have here. Don't let me dig another hole for myself."

Sam hid a smile at the possibility that Cam could or would marry the base's Chief Medical Officer. The Colonel then said, "It just seems odd."

Mel laughed. "That's rich, Mom. Really. You and Dad are the oddest people I know... well, okay, you and Uncle Jack and Uncle T. Oh, and Auntie Vala. But you guys have to be the oddest." Mel smiled, amused. "Oh, you do know I have a little brother too?"

Sam suddenly looked freaked out. She said, "Um, no!"

"Oh yeah. Jake. Guess who you named him after..."

Sam smiled, still looking shocked. She said, "I always figured I'd name my son after Dad." She rubbed her face and groaned. She then said, peeking at her daughter, "Sorry, Mel... this is a lot for me right now."

Sam continued to type on her laptop. She muttered, "Okay, almost there." She glanced up at Mel. "Come here." Mel put down the book she had picked up and stood next to her mother. Sam gestured to the laptop screen in front of them, and she said,

"I've had a look at the signature of the wormhole through which you arrived. See there? That's a fluctuation in the power to the 'gate – similar to but not quite the same as when a wormhole is intersected by a solar flare. Well, by a typical solar flare anyhow."

Mel asked with a frown, "So, non-typical solar flare?"

"Could be." Sam chewed her lip in worry. She looked up at "I don't know about your time, but we can't predict solar flares yet. By the time we detect one, it's too late." She shook her head, not wanting to give up. "You see, if you'd come from an alternate universe, I could probably work it out... I did once when we had a convergence of at least twenty universes here last year."

Mel nodded slowly and then grinned. She said excitedly, "Oh, I remember. Dad told me that the team that had Martouf with them... in their universe, you were on maternity leave."

Sam cleared her throat and said awkwardly, "Well... um, that's another universe. Anything is possible."

"... with Dad's kid. Kinda like an older brother or sister for me." Mel laughed a little. "How does quantum brother-slash-sister sound? You know, Uncle Jack's... oh, and even Uncle T's jokes aside, I could have a lot of brothers and sisters out there."

Sam looked up at the younger woman in disbelief. She said, a little annoyed, "Do you ever stop talking?"

"Honey, I won't stop for you in my time – what makes you think I'll stop for you now?" Mel paused as though she had realised something. She patted her pockets and said slowly, "Speaking of not stopping..." Mel pulled out a piece of paper from jacket pocket, and said, "You put this in my pocket before I left for Kheb. Well, my-you... not you-you."

Sam took the piece of paper from her, and opened it slowly. She read it, her eyes widening a little and she got up quickly. The Colonel said in disbelief, "You had this all this time and you didn't think to read it?"

Mel shrugged. "Mom, you're always putting stuff in my pockets... to be honest, I completely forgot about it 'til now." She craned her neck to look at the piece of paper. "What does it say?"

Sam grinned in relief and said, "The times and dates of the next two solar flares... the next one is tomorrow morning." Forgetting herself momentarily, Sam hugged her. She then cleared her throat in embarrassment as she let Mel go and stood up straight. "With this, if I re-do our drift calculations so that the next solar flare intersects the wormhole in a similar way to the way that yours did..."

A now excited Sam grabbed her laptop and sprinted from the lab as a bemused Mel followed her. Sam continued to explain as she did so, "... I mean, we have to monitor the wormhole first to gauge the power levels... but if we get it right, we can send you back home."

Mel laughed in relief and then covered her mouth in shock when Sam almost bowled over most of SG-1. Mel called after her, "Well, why are we running then?"

As SG-1 pursued them, Sam called back, "Because it's almost midnight and the flare is due to hit in three hours. We don't have a lot of time!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In his office, Daniel frowned as he looked down at the half-page of writing that had taken very nearly an hour to complete. He threw the pen down in frustration and almost growled as he took his glasses off and rubbed his face with his hands. He couldn't believe just how much this was getting to him. The girl wasn't really his daughter. She was the daughter of someone far braver and bolder than he could be.

He just couldn't understand why the whole episode was impeding his work. He was behind – really behind – and yet all he could think about was what that other life must be like; what had happened that had led him to admit his feelings to Sam; and how Sam could ever feel that way about him. One child could albeit crassly be considered an accident, but the Lieutenant had claimed that she had a brother... two children, to him, seemed planned to some extent.

He glanced up on hearing a noise, and he saw Vala standing in the doorway. Regaining some composure, Daniel put his glasses back on, and made some attempt to resume writing. He asked, "Hey, what's up?"

Vala remained in the doorway, a troubled expression on her face. She said, "I might say the same of you." She took a seat on the other side of the desk from him, her elbows on the desk as she rested her face in her hands. She said, "People have children all the time, Daniel. It's not impossible."

Daniel frowned as he forced himself to concentrate. He said, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay, fine... but you're going to have to talk to someone. I mean, you won't talk to Samantha because... you know... and well, no-one else knows what you're going through right now." Vala smiled briefly. "I wouldn't be hiding if that was my daughter."

Daniel retorted, "If that was your daughter, you'd be running."

She suddenly looked hurt as she sat back in her chair. He grimaced a little and sat back in his own chair, dropping his pen onto the table. He said apologetically, "Sorry, that was rude."

"Well, you're right." Vala continued brightly. "Anyway... your future wife..."

He remarked snippily, "Yeah, I don't think so."

Vala rolled her eyes. "You're going to have to get over me someday, sunshine."

He looked at her, annoyed, and she continued, "So anyway, the mother of one of your many children..."

Daniel blinked and asked, "Has Jack been talking to you?"

She feigned innocence as she regarded him for a moment. She then said, "Let me finish, okay? Samantha's worked out a way to send that delightful little card sharp home. Thought you might want a chance to say bye and stuff... you know, the whole Dad thing."

Daniel couldn't help but look hurt as his mind was assailed once again with what could have been. Mel's words, describing her life and that of her parents, haunted him. He quickly resumed writing, and said, "Uh, give me a minute."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In the gateroom, Mel stood at the bottom of the ramp as Sam dialled the Stargate. The younger woman grinned in amazement as each chevron locked. At last the 'gate was dialled and the unstable vortex whooshed out and then back into the rippling event horizon. Mel continued to grin, and she said,

"I love that thing."

She turned around to see Teal'c, Cam and Vala had been standing behind her. She looked up to see Sam in the control room, and she asked, "Where's Dad?"

Teal'c replied, "DanielJackson is currently in his office."

Mel looked disappointed, saying, "Figures. Without Mom, Dad would forget his own head." She smiled to herself. "I miss that old guy."

Cam asked a touch bashfully, "Hey, you know, in that future of yours, does Uncle Cam still have hair?"

Mel replied deadpan, "Hell no. Bald as a coot."

She tried not to laugh as Cam looked disappointed while Vala looked on intrigued. Cam then shook her hand and said, "Well, nice of you to drop by, Lieutenant. Take care out there, huh?"

"Oh, don't worry about me, Uncle C."

They all looked up to the control room as Sam said into the microphone, "Jackson, you have a go."

Sam then disappeared, appearing seconds later in the gateroom from the corridor. Mel grinned at Sam, and she said, "Knew you could do it, Mom. Thanks."

Sam looked unsure of what to do next, so she just shook Mel's hand. Mel, however, hugged her tightly, and Sam, after a moment, hugged her back. Sam whispered, "Be careful out there, okay?" She dabbed at involuntary tears that sprang to her eyes, and she looked down as she and her daughter parted. "Dammit, I don't even know why I'm crying."

Mel replied with a tight smile, "I don't know either – you'll see me soon enough. I'll see ya sooner though. Still gonna miss ya."

She hugged her again, ignoring a remark from Cam about the wormhole only being active for thirty-eight minutes. During the hug, Daniel entered the gateroom, suddenly unsure of what he was doing there. But then he found himself walking to Sam's side as the two women let go of each once again, and as Sam looked at him surprise, he hugged Mel.

Daniel whispered, "I'm so proud of you. Remember that."

Mel replied with a tearful grin, "Oh, not gonna forget that, Danny." He let her go and she ruffled his hair affectionately much to everyone else's amusement. She said, "That's from Uncle Jack and the gang. Chiefly, Uncle Jack."

Daniel muttered, disgruntled, "Figures."

Mel grinned as she looked up at the Stargate, and said, "Well, time I dove stage-right." She then turned to look at SG-1, and waved. "Nice meeting you all again." She practically bubbled over with excitement on noticing that Daniel had discreetly reached for Sam's hand. "See ya later!"

With a grin that wouldn't go away, Mel ascended the gate ramp. When she got near the event horizon, she turned around to see General Landry stood behind a seated Walter in the control room. In the gateroom were three members of SG-1 stood behind Sam and Daniel, who were still holding hands.

Taking a mental picture, she waved and then turned around. She took a deep breath and then stepped through.

In the gateroom behind her, SG-1 watched as the wormhole deactivated. The three members of SG-1 at the back then exchanged furtive glances with one another as Sam and Daniel continued to look at the Stargate. Teal'c smirked as he left the gateroom, and Cam nudged a frowning Vala, and they left, Vala repeatedly glancing at the couple as they did so.

Sam looked up at the Stargate with a wistful expression, now feeling as though a large part of her had just left through the device. As a tear ran down her cheek, she said softly, "I miss her."

Daniel nodded as he looked from the Stargate to Sam with a sombre look. He said, "Me too."

They looked down at their hands which were still together. Daniel reluctantly let go of her hand, and said, "I don't want to get in the way of you and Jack."

As Daniel turned to walk away, Sam felt as though enough part of her was on the verge of leaving. She sniffed back more tears, and said, "Daniel, wait."

He stopped and turned around to face her, his facial expression unreadable. Sam remained where she was as she said, "It's funny, isn't it? Things like that can change how you see the universe, but also how you see yourself and the people around you." She watched as Daniel looked troubled, and she said, "I honestly didn't think I'd be so attached to someone like that... and I didn't even give birth to her."

Daniel shrugged non-committally, and said, "She's quite a girl."

"She's yours as well."

Daniel shook his head and said grimly, "No, she's another man's daughter. I don't have it in me to do what he must have done."

Sam looked at him, puzzled. She stopped him from leaving once again, and said, "Is the idea of us having children so distasteful to you? What did I do?"

He looked at her in surprise: surprise that _she_ didn't find the idea of poor taste. He asked, "What?"

"You've been acting all weird since you found out who she was."

Daniel looked at her in disbelief, recalling her walking out of the holding room earlier. He said, "Uh, so have you."

Sam smiled bashfully as she looked away. She said, "Understandable, I guess." She looked at him, and said, "What a day, huh?"

Daniel glanced at the Stargate and recalled more of what Mel had told him, his brain finally decoding the streams of babble she had directed at him throughout the day. He smiled a little, and then asked her, "What are you doing tonight?"

Sam tried not to grin as she watched him struggle not to blush. She said with a nonchalant shrug, "Well, I was planning on sleeping, but I don't think I can now."

Daniel said, "I've got that special edition Wizard of Oz DVD Jack sent me for Christmas last year." He smirked briefly. "It's still in the original wrapper."

She smiled in amusement, and then asked, "You sure you wanna stay up?"

He sighed softly as he remembered Mel. He said, "I've got a lot to think about."

She gazed at him pensively, and then she reached for his hand again. He looked at her and said, "You know, there's a lot I haven't told you – that I couldn't tell you."

She nodded, for once knowing what he meant. As tears pricked her eyes once again, she said, "Me too. I thought maybe you and Vala would eventually hook up."

"I thought it was you and Jack."

She couldn't help but find that amusing. She nudged him, and said, "Yeah, right. Let's just say someone got in the way a long time ago."

He looked at her in surprise, and then smiled shyly. He then gently stroked the hand that he was holding with his thumb, and he said, "Come on, let's go see the Wizard."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Mel felt a little spooked as she found herself once more in the gateroom of the SGC once again. She slowly walked down the ramp, but then grinned in relief on seeing her parents waiting for her at the end of the ramp. There stood her mother, with long white hair tied up, her eyes sparkling with good humour. And her white-haired father, who stooped a bit with age and whose eyes seemed bluer than his younger self's.

When she had reached them, Mel hugged them tightly, finally allowing herself to cry a little. When she at last let them go, she looked from one to the other. She then said, shocked, "You guys knew all along!"

Sam exchanged a knowing smile with Daniel. She said, "We had to let it happen."

Daniel smirked as he said, "Now you have a story about how we got together."

Mel asked, dismayed, "It was me!?"

A young fair haired man entered the gateroom and then grinned on seeing her. He said as he hugged her, "Melly!"

Mel hugged him and said, "Hey, Squirt..." She looked back at her parents. "It was me? What if I hadn't encountered that flare?"

Sam smiled a little. "You would have. It's... it's a long story."

Daniel said, "... which can wait for dinner. Come on, I'm starving."

Sam said to Mel, "Welcome home, sweetie. Go up to the briefing room and brief your Uncle Cam. Your Dad can wait." She looked round at the fair haired young man. "Go with her, Jake."

Daniel scowled at Sam as an amused Mel left with Jake. Sam said as they left too, "Come on, old man. You can have something in the Commissary."

"Ugh, no, I think I can wait." He smiled as he reached for her hand in the corridor. He said, "I would have told you eventually, you know..."

They stopped, and she kissed him on the cheek. She said affectionately, "I know." She grinned at him. "Let's go get Teal'c and Vala."

– **Fin **


	22. Diamond

**Prompt #048 – Diamond**

_**Summary: **Sam reflects_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Future_

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **A/U, Drabble, Fluff, Relationship, Romance_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam marvels at the elegantly cut diamond on her finger. Daniel tells her that the ancient Greeks thought it reflected the flame of love. For her, it reflects so much more than that. A life spent loving, fighting, exploring, and discovering. She can see every planet they have been to; every race they have encountered. She can see everything they have ever discovered.

But most of all, she can see him and how much he loves her. A love as pure, as indestructible and as unalterable as the gem before her. A love that will last longer than time itself.


	23. Passing

**Prompt #065 – Passing**

_**Summary: **An extract from Daniel's autobiography_

_**Pairings: **Daniel/Sha're, Daniel/Sam_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Future_

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **A/U, Drama, Family, Relationship, Tragedy_

_**A/N: **I tell you, it's hard remembering how to spell in American. lol_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_In essence, the years we spent working at Stargate Command, doing what we did, were full of both blessings and curses. I have a good many regrets, and likewise, I have a good many memories which I will always cherish. The memories which keep me awake most nights are ones which are too painful to forget. Over the years, we have sacrificed much, and lost much. General O'Neill had lost his son in a tragic accident prior to that crucial first mission through the Stargate to Abydos. Jack is far from being an open book, but I know it affected him deeply and also changed his perspective on life in general as well as interplanetary politics and missions. He was always the first to put himself on the line, because he felt he had nothing left to lose._

_If only he knew now how much he had meant to me, and to all of us._

_Teal'c had to have been by far the bravest of us all. He had left everything he had ever known, everyone that he knew, to fight alongside us. Through years of trials and tribulations, war and peace, life and death, he had worked the hardest to free his fellow Jaffa from the tyranny of the Goa'uld and then the Ori. The hard work and the struggles paid off, as the august President of the Free Jaffa Nation frequently reminds his many grandchildren._

_Sam. She had lost her father after she had been given extra time to get to know the father she had barely been on speaking terms with. She had also lost people for whom she had conflicted feelings for; feelings which may have partially been her own. But her femininity, her courage, and her endless strength had saved her soul. It was she that had taught me that death is a part of life; that the darker side of life, the pain and the tears make the lighter side of life that much more sweeter and to be appreciated more._

_I miss her more and more as the days, weeks and months turn into years and into decades. _

_Mitchell was thrown into a world already established and running without him. SG-1 were an established, fully-functioning planetary defense team, and at first he struggled to find his niche in a team that traditionally has problems with authority. But he did, and he bravely and courageously fought alongside us. Soon, he lost as much as we all did. _

_Vala had started out as a passenger, I hope she doesn't mind me saying. She was just along for the ride. But she too saw the bigger picture and fought. Unfortunately, in the process, she had conceived without her prior consent, a child who went on to slaughter millions in the guise of a religious crusade. But, for Vala's courage and strength, Adria was ultimately defeated._

_As for myself, as I mentioned in the first chapter, my first wife, Sha're, was taken from me by the Goa'uld. That had been my impetus to stay with Stargate Command, so I could find her and bring her home. I had never realized that the last time she was ever the woman I knew, was when she kissed me the night when Jack and his team returned to Abydos. I had cursed that day and Jack's arrival in my lowest moments and during the many sleepless nights. I will also admit that I deeply regretted unlocking the Stargate. For me then, it had brought nothing but pain._

_This proved true when many years down the line, I lost Sam. She had been the one to save me from myself, from my darkest nightmares. But I lost her too, although it wasn't as a direct result of the Stargate. She passed away while giving birth to our third child; named Samantha in honor of my wife. What followed were the darkest years of my life. My only saviors were our children, and our friends. During the darkest times, we grew stronger as a fully functioning unit and support network, rather than weaker as broken individuals swimming ashore from a shipwreck._

_What defines us as individuals and as a team, is not only what we did during those years. Neither was it just about how much we gained personally and on a cultural and scientific level. It was also how much we had each lost for this 'bigger picture'. In retrospect, I doubt whether I would do it all over again, taking into account our losses. But, I would, if only for the bright, shining moments, and there were many; so many that I will treasure for the time I have left. _

_Exploration has brought us to where we are today. True, along the way we have lost a lot, but it has also allowed us to understand ourselves better, and to understand our planet and the universe. That sense of exploration defines us as human beings – to boldly go, so on and so forth. It is through exploration that we learn. With learning comes understanding and knowledge. From the very youngest child learning that the stove is hot, to Captain Cook's surveys of the Pacific area – fraught with danger, but with it comes a better understanding of what it is to be human and to be from Earth._

_With time, perhaps after I am gone, you will read this and hopefully understand what we did all those years ago, so you can carry on our work and the spirit of exploration that has so defined humanity from the very beginning. _


	24. Drink

**Prompt #060 – Drink**

_**Summary: **Daniel's drunk, but that's not all..._

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Eight_

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **__A/U, a drunk Daniel, Fluff, Relationship_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel was drunk. God only knows how – the archaeologist hadn't even finished his beer. Sam eyed the amber liquid suspiciously as she took the bottle from him. She then looked at Jack with just as much suspicion as he casually flipped charred bits of meat on the outdoor grill. All Jack said in reply to her glare was,

"No point giving me one of those Carter glares if your boy's a cheap date."

Daniel remained seated on the steps behind Jack's cabin. He clapped, and said giddily, "You know what this all reminds me of?"

Jack hummed and said without looking at him, "What, that when you're soused, you forget good grammar? What a waste your philology PhD is, huh?"

Teal'c was leaning nearby, whittling a piece of wood with a paring knife. The Jaffa asked, "What are you reminded of, DanielJackson?"

Daniel grinned as he looked up at the blue sky, and then at a worried looking Sam. He said, "It reminds me of a dream I had where I asked Sam to marry me. We got married in the woods back there." He gestured hazily to the forest next to the cabin.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Jack however looked at Daniel sceptically. He then looked at Sam, to see that she was staring at Daniel as though she had seen a ghost. Jack asked, cautiously glancing at Daniel, "Carter?"

Sam didn't say a word. She walked straight to where Daniel was sitting and she put her arms around him. She kissed his cheek and whispered, "Of course I will."

Jack stared in muted shock at the couple, and then at a casual Teal'c. Jack forgot about the meat which was now burning and in danger of catching alight. The General asked, "What the hell just happened?"

Teal'c replied calmly, "I believe we have matrimonial proceedings to prepare for, O'Neill..."

"Oh for cryin' out loud..."


	25. Christmas

**Prompt #092 – Christmas**

_**Summary: **Daniel and Sam spend Christmas together at the end of an era_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Post-Continuum_

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **__A/U, Episode-related, Holiday/Special Occasion, Relationship, Romance_

**_A/N: _**_Merry Christmas, and/or Season Greetings, folks! And Happy New Year! :o)_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel looks up at the dark expanse of sky that is spread above him. He sees the Orion arm of the Milky Way spread across the inky blackness in all its glory. The skies here are free from the light pollution that usually hampers much of his stargazing back home. The night is clear, albeit frosty, but he doesn't care about the cold. For once, for as long as he can remember now, he sees the night sky as a portal to the universe, and not the harbinger of doom; the home of enemies from the stars: enemies who had changed his life forever.

For the first time in more than a decade, he feels a little like the man he once was. With their enemies defeated; with their world and their galactic neighbourhood safe, he himself feels safe enough to believe in humanity once more: in life. He regrets losing so much of that faith he once had, but in a way, it kept him alive and aware. It educated him and, in essence, it matured him. By the dread hand of fate, he has been taught some valuable lessons of life and death. But he also has been taught that standing up for one's principles, standing up for what is right and what is peaceful first, has not all been for naught.

He looks down at his hands. They are so much older than they once were. They have brought both life and death into the world. Once used for not much more than writing and drawing, digging and discovering – they had since learned to fight and to kill. But it was either that, or be killed. At once, he can see every scar, every wound: both physical and mental; both old and new.

It is the end of an era, of a chapter... perhaps of this volume. Perhaps, and with all hope, this new beginning would be much better than its predecessor. He has his still has his friends. He still has a sky above him and the ground beneath his feet. He also has love in his life. All of these have lasted through thick and thin, through fire and flame.

The sky above him seems to be endless; just like the possibilities which now lay before him. Possibilities of love and of life; and of exploration and of discovery. Unlike the start of the last chapter, he has someone to travel the road with, side-by-side. Side-by-side they have travelled the Yellow Brick Road on the endless quest to the Emerald City; side-by-side with their friends. They have defeated the Wicked Witch, and discovered that the City is not the be all and end all of their work – of their quest – but also that the journey itself holds great significance.

There is so much more. Always so much more to life.

And he loves it; every second of it.

Just as he allows himself to smile, he feels someone hug him from behind. This makes him smile even more, and he turns around to hold her. As Sam snuggles in his embrace, she whispers, "Merry Christmas."

He gently nuzzles her neck, and whispers in reply, "And to you too."

She kisses him, and then she looks up at him in concern. She says, "What are you doing out here? You'll catch cold."

Daniel smiles a little at her concern. He holds her close to him, her head against his chest. He closes his eyes and breaths in everything about her; something which always grounds him and, alone, reminds him of what it is to be human, to be loved, and to have wings. He replies to her in a quiet voice, suddenly scared as he realises that they stand on the edge of something else – something new.

"I was just thinking... it's all over, isn't it? Everything we've known. The wars, the bad guys..." He looks down at her in the darkness and cups her cheek. He continues, "... and come New Year, you'll be in charge of your own ship."

She reaches up to caress his hair, and she appears pensive. She knows what he is thinking, the helplessness he feels. She feels it too. She looks up at him and replies, "The bad guys are gone... but it's not over. We just carry on. We'll find trouble soon enough."

He keeps holding her, dread fear rising in his stomach. He knows he could lose her. How many ships had they lost over the years? How many brave men and women had been killed in line of duty? How many times had they themselves crossed into the great beyond, or had just missed the ferry ride across the Styx?

But he would never ask her to stay. He knows she would if he did, but this is more than either of them and the world they know. This is everything they have worked for and towards, and so much more. To him, though, the most important factor is that she will be living her dream and making further leaps and bounds in her career.

Apart, they will each make their own discoveries and exploration. Together, they will do the same. He sighed softly, wanting to banish the dark thoughts in his head. They had come here to get away from everything that would once again be the be all and end all of their lives when they returned to Colorado Springs. He gently grazes her cheek with his knuckles as he gazes down at her lovingly. No matter how much work they had, she was the be all and end all of his life, and she always will be.

He stoops to kiss her; softly, with a hint of longing, but also with a gentle promise of hope and that he will be there when she comes home again. Always.

He's taken by surprise when she grabs hold of him and kisses him with a lot more passion. His senses come alive, and when they part, he can see the fire in her eyes. She wants neither to take it slow nor to wait. In a way, it excites him; in another way, it scares him and makes him long for the days when she was his team-mate. Things were scary back then but at least he knew where she was most of the time.

He strokes her cheek once again, and whispers, "Merry Christmas, Colonel Jackson."

They kiss once again, and then rest their foreheads against one another's. Her grin lights up her face and he smiles playfully back at her. She kisses him, a little more gently this time. She whispers, "Merry Christmas, Doctor Jackson."

She continues to grin as she grabbed his hand, and led him back towards the cabin in the mid-distance. He remarks, feigning innocence, "So... what are we doing?"

"Exchanging gifts."

She flashes him another grin as she tries not think of what lies ahead in their lives. She had him right now. There is just the two of them – far, far away from work – and she is going to make good use of the time they have left. She knows he is hurting too but trying to be brave. She's also trying to be brave for him, but she knows that he knows her better than that. And that is why they are going inside. He is the only person to whom she will and has given her all to. He has seen everything she is and everything which she has. The grins came easy to her, knowing that even though he sees and knows everything, he still wants to be by her side for the rest of his life.

As they enter their cabin, Daniel looks up at the tinsel hung on the walls, and the small fir tree in the corner decorated with fir cones, more tinsel, and pieces of coloured foil. He sees that their gifts to one another are still under it. He approaches but she stops him. He looks at her quizzically, and she says with a smirk,

"Not those gifts, Daniel."

He realises her meaning after a moment of confusion. He then reaches for her hand once again and almost drags her into the next room. He says with a laugh, "Well, what are we waiting for? We're not coming out 'til tomorrow... at least."

Sam laughs, feeling light and merry; a sharp contrast to the pain of having to leave him soon. She shrieks in surprise when he pulls her to him. She then remarks giddily, "It's okay... I'll wait 'til you fall asleep before I venture out for food."


	26. Snow

**Prompt #067 – Snow**

_**Summary: **You can never be too old to play in the snow_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **7-ish_

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **__A/U, Fluff, Holiday/Special Occasion, Humour, Relationship_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When Daniel imagined being hit by a snowball, he expected the prime culprit to be Jack. Of course. Why wouldn't it be him? When he had got over the initial shock however, Daniel stared in further shock to see General Hammond running away from him, tossing snowballs at nearby personnel who were hiding behind ramparts made from snow. Hammond called over his shoulder,

"Sorry, son. I couldn't resist." Hammond grinned as Jack shielded himself from an incoming barrage of snowballs. Hammond whooped in delight and yelled, "Hoo boy, this takes me back."

Daniel, still stunned, looked at Sam, who was standing next to him. She, however, couldn't stop grinning. As they narrowly dodged a volley of snowballs, Daniel leaned down to kiss her. However, seconds later, he gasped in shock as he felt a handful of indescribable coldness being smushed into his face, partially numbing it.

He stared after Sam in shock as she, bent double with laughter, ran away from him, shrieking. He shook his fist comically and then scooped up some snow. He was about to run after her when he was floored by more snow – this time from a smirking Teal'c. Daniel had no chance as the Jaffa jogged away with an armful of carefully constructed snowballs, throwing them with almost deadly aim.

Daniel turned to walk away when he spotted Jack coming up from behind. The Colonel paused momentarily before throwing the snowball at Daniel. This time, however, the archaeologist was quicker to evade the incoming missile. Daniel then threw a snowball at Jack, which narrowly missed the SG-1 leader.

Jack was about to throw one back when Daniel spotted Sam at a distance, the Major openly mocking him. He rolled his eyes and sprinted towards her, a hand in his pocket as he dodged and weaved between the snowballs being thrown by different members of the SGC.

Sam was about to run away again when Daniel smiled as he gazed at her. He got down on one knee in the snow. She froze, but in shock rather than because of the cold. Even the others stopped to have a look as he looked up at her earnestly. He said, "Sam, since the day we met... I've..."

Quick as a flash, he got to his feet and dropped a pile of snow. Sam screamed and ran after him as their colleagues fell about, laughing. As Daniel sprinted past him, Jack called,

"Smooth... now she'll kill you when you finally do that for real... if you survive this round."


	27. Sixth Sense

**Prompt #035 – Sixth Sense**

_**Summary: **Following a movie night at Cam's, Sam has trouble coming to grips with something she has always feared_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel, Cam/Vala (the blink-and-you'll-miss-it kind)_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **10_

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **__A/U, Drama, Relationship_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel yawned as he walked around the house, a steaming mug in hand. He checked that the doors and windows were locked, and that the cooker was completely switched off. He grimaced briefly as he recalled an occasion when he had neglected this last precaution, and they had been forced to redecorate, and to dispose of a burnt out pan which had once belonged to Sam's mother and prior to that, her grandmother.

Not for the first time, he breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't slaughtered him. He had been making it up to her ever since.

Humming softly, he did one last check of the ground floor. He then drank from his mug and washed the rest of the contents down the sink. Making sure he knew where his keys were, he switched all the lights off and ascended the stairs.

He checked the windows before entering his room to find Sam in bed. Not wanting to wake her, he quickly left to have a shower. In the shower, as he washed his hair, he laughed quietly as he thought of Vala being confused by the plot of the movie they had watched. It had taken the combined forces of the rest of SG-1 to explain it to her, which still left her unimpressed. She had said,

"Surely he would've realised that he was a ghost if his wife hadn't touched him in months, and he didn't remember any medical help after he had been shot. Perhaps the gunman was a time traveller, trying to stop him from making this movie."

... to which Mitchell had replied tiredly, "Well, I must be a ghost then seeing as the first condition applies to me."

They had then proceeded to have a blazing argument as the credits continued to roll. Sam, Daniel and Teal'c had exchanged glances and then quietly slipped out to get something to eat. In the car, the former two had burst out laughing, while a more restrained Teal'c just smirked. Sam had tried not to laugh as she had said, sounding guilty,

"We shouldn't laugh... I feel really evil." She had then coughed. "... she still won't forgive him for beating her at Tekken Tag."

Back in the present, Daniel now had trouble trying not to laugh as he rinsed himself off, and then stepped out of the shower. He dried himself off and slipped a pair of boxer shorts on before returning to his room. A dopey smile crossed his face as he saw the shape of Sam's body under the sheets, and he got into bed.

He turned to switch the bedside light off. He then wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close to him as he buried his nose in her hair with a contented smile. He then frowned as he realised something, and he whispered, "Sam?"

His suspicions were confirmed when she replied after a beat, "Daniel? What is it?"

He gently nuzzled her, and said, "I thought you were sleeping. Are you okay?"

She replied, hesitating again, "I'm fine."

Concerned, he held her tighter, and said, "No, you're not. You only pretend you're asleep when you're mad at me." He slowly rubbed her stomach as he said, "Please don't tell me I've forgotten your birthday again... it's circled in my calendar, and I've set up an email alert as well in case Vala steals my array of sticky notes again."

Moments passed and she hadn't said anything. He sighed softly, wondering what he had done. Finally, she turned over in his embrace. Even though he couldn't see her face properly in the dark, he knew that she was crying. Without speaking, he kissed her, wanting to kiss away whatever sadness had taken its hold in her.

He ceased his kisses when he felt her hand on the back of his head, and he looked down at her in the dark. He said softly, "Sam, what's wrong?"

He closed his eyes as she proceeded to caress his head and then his ear. He sighed softly, waiting for her to speak. After a long moment of hesitation, she spoke, her voice sounding strained. She said, "It's nothing."

He rolled his eyes at her characteristic evasiveness. He said, "Yeah, right, I'm totally buying that."

He settled down at her side as she continued to stroke his head. He frowned when she stopped. She held onto him as she rested her head against his chest. His worry grew, knowing that she only did so when she had been hurt pretty badly by something. He didn't say anything; instead, he just held her in his arms, waiting for her to release whatever burden she bore.

An eternity seemed to pass in the cosy darkness as he waited for her, his fingers gently rubbing her back. At long last, she spoke – albeit quietly. She said, "It's nothing, it really is." She sniffed. "It's just that..." He felt her hand run slowly up and down his back, around his shoulders and his waist, as though she was making sure of something. She said, "I don't think I could lose you again." She laughed slightly, a humourless tone to the sound. She said, "I know it's just a movie, but it brought everything back when she was crying in her sleep near the end."

She began to cry, trying not to be obvious about it but obviously failing when he held her tighter, gently rocking her in his arms. Sam whispered, "I don't want to lose you again."

Daniel rested his head against hers as he thought of their work, of the war that they were fighting – a war which should never have been theirs. He whispered in her ear, "Sam, I want you to promise me something."

She shook her head almost instantly, knowing somehow what he was about to say. Yet he persisted. He continued, "I don't know what's going to happen." His voice grew hoarse but he didn't cry. "... I don't know whether we'll get through this, or whether any of us will survive this in the coming months and years... but..." He kissed her as she grew still and fearful. He said, tears in his eyes, "... I don't want you to be alone if I die out there."

He instantly hated himself when she proceeded to sob in his arms, the Colonel unable to stop herself, knowing he was contemplating what she feared the most. He said, "Oh, Sam..." He sighed as he looked up towards the ceiling. "... you're my reason for coming home. Just remember that... but if I go missing again and show no signs of coming back, I want you to have love in your life."

She sniffed, knowing the odds of either of them or their friends surviving the war in which they had been thrown into. She wanted to break something, to show some ounce of control over something at the very least. Instead, however, she said, "I will have had you... that's enough. That's plenty. I would rather spend the rest of my life alone than share what we have with, with another man."

He was about to speak when he felt her finger on his lips, and he waited. She said, "And I mean it, too. I mean it."

He was crying but he didn't want her to know. He was supposed to be the strong one in situations like this. He found it difficult right now to uphold the role that society expected of him. Instead of saying anything, he just held onto her, his face buried in her hair as he went to work making memories for the dangerous times that lie ahead of them.

Eventually, as her tears turned to sniffles, he whispered in her ear, "I love you." He paused, knowing that she felt insecure about his love for her after the events and losses which had driven him to be on SG-1 in the first place. He kissed her softly, and continued, "You're not second. You never were."

He ran his fingers through her hair, knowing by her stillness that she is either surprised or sleeping. Finally, at long last, she whispered, "I know... I love you."

He smiled in spite of the tears in his eyes. He caressed her back as he said, "We're going to be okay, Sam. We have to believe that otherwise it's going to drive us nuts. Whatever happens, happens." He kissed her neck, and asked, "How are you feeling?"

She sniffed and replied, "A little better." She reached up to stroke his hair, and she said, "Just like we always seem to be doing... we've just got to get on with it and try not to think about what could happen."

He hummed in agreement as he smiled slightly, his head against hers. There wasn't anywhere else he would rather have been right then. As he forcibly pushed work to the back of his mind, all he could do was concentrate on how much he loved the woman in his arms, and how he would do his utmost to come back to her, through hell and high water.

As sleep slowly took its hold of him, he whispered, "I love you, Colonel-Doctor."

He smiled dopily when he felt the caress of her lips in reply.


	28. Years

**Prompt #010 – Years**

_**Summary: **Four times Daniel Jackson almost confessed his feelings to Samantha Carter... and the one time that **she** did_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **1-10_

_**Category: **New Romance_

_**Genres: **__A/U, Angst, Drama, Episode-related, Romance_

**_A/N: _**_this is a StargateFic100 and a Five Times attempt rolled into one. Why? Because I roll that way. :P_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

**2002**

Swathed in bandages, he was slowly dying. As he flitted between planes of existence, he was aware momentarily of his friends' presences. He didn't know how much time had passed since they had returned from Kelowna but to him it seemed like an age. Surely they couldn't still be trying to treat him? He needed to go, to proceed with his journey. He needed to walk a different path, but something was holding him back.

The apparition of Oma Desala had told him that he needed to release his burden in order to move on. How was he to do that? He wasn't sure what his burden was. What he was sure of, however, was that he hadn't done enough to help the Kelownans. He should have found some way to destroy the device. But that single failure reflected much of his life. There were too many failures to count or to atone for right now. If helping the Kelownans was his burden, then perhaps he was better off dying instead of going with Oma.

And then another failure appeared to him.

With golden hair and eyes of blue, she spoke to him, tears falling from her eyes. How could she be that upset at the prospect of him going? He was a failure.

The dream world quickly dissolved around him and he was back in the Infirmary bed. He closed his eyes, or at least tried to, as he felt the pain once again of his body failing him. Even so, he heard her words, and if he focussed hard enough, he could remember what she looked like.

_'... I don't know why we wait to tell people how we really feel. I guess I hoped that you always knew...'_

He hadn't quite heard what she had said before that, but the words had a struck a chord with him. What was she saying? Had she said the words that a part of him had longed to hear for some time? Despite his pain, he wanted to tell her. Even if she didn't feel the same, he at least wanted to hug her, to stop her from crying. But his body, like his life, was one big failure. He couldn't even cry as he began to think of what might have been.

**2002-2003**

He tried to visit her each night. Sometimes 'Ancient-business' dragged him away, but for the most part, he did fulfil an unspoken promise to her. It tore him apart despite his noncorporeal nature whenever she cried. He felt helpless when he witnessed the aftermaths of particularly emotionally or physically draining missions, and each time he visited her, he wished albeit in vain that he hadn't chosen the path that he was now walking.

But there had been no other choice. No other practical choice. He would have been a burden had he stayed, and there was no guarantee that he would ever have recovered. In his noncorporeal state, he could do more than he ever could have done before, but of course it had its disadvantages. Rules, for one.

Some nights, Oma would sit by his side and watch over Sam with him. She would speak in riddles as usual, but for once, he had the patience to listen. After all, if this was all one big dream, then 'dreams teach', as Shifu had once told him.

_'In the great ocean, two fishes are but a drop.'_

He nodded gravely as he watched a troubled Sam toss and turn in her sleep. As she cried out, he sat on the edge of her bed and slowly rubbed her shoulder. He glanced up at Oma and said,

"If I'm so inconsequential, then why does it matter if I leave this path and be there for her?"

_'One road leads to light; one road leads to darkness. To follow one, the travelling man achieves wisdom; to follow the other, the foolish man remains in the dark.'_

He let Sam go and just looked down at the Major as her frown gradually faded. He sighed softly, his mind full of regrets of what could have been. He was about to speak when Oma spoke once more.

_'The universe is so big and we are so small. Love burns, but the light of truth and of knowledge burns longer.'_

Daniel shook his head sadly as he looked from Sam and then to Oma. He said, "But love is powerful. It matters so much more than knowledge. What is knowledge when there is no-one to share it with?"

Oma looked at him as a mother might look at a child who is still learning the difference between right and wrong. She said, _'Knowledge is far greater than you or I. Knowledge transcends time and space. Knowledge would have saved your bride – love did not.'_

Daniel brushed away a tear that fell as he got to his feet. With his back to a sleeping Sam, he glanced back at her. He then said reluctantly, "If I had never opened the Stargate, Sha're would still be alive. A lot of people would still be alive." He looked at Oma, his eyes hardening with determination. "... but a lot of people would now be dead."

_'As the hour passes, life and death are one. With each turn of the stars, the dead walk with the living and the living with the dead.'_

He frowned as he tried to work out what she was telling him. He shook his head and looked at her. He said, "Discovery defines us; our sense of exploration – our thirst for knowledge. But knowledge without love, with neither concern nor compassion, is nothing. Knowledge with love burns brighter."

Oma smiled in quiet amusement as she watched him. She glanced at Sam and said,_ 'Then what of love without knowledge? You would be willing to descend to this plane for a love filled with uncertainty?'_

Daniel stared at her as the meaning of her words slowly hit him. He turned to look back at Sam, a sad acceptance in his eyes. He then looked away from her and down at his feet. He said, "Point taken. I don't know how she feels." He looked up at Oma with a sigh, and said, "Come on, you've won, let's go."

Oma watched him sympathetically as he leaned over Sam's bed to smooth her hair. He hesitated before kissing her gently on the temple. He then turned away abruptly, knowing that if he spent any longer at her bedside, he would never be able to leave.

He and Oma disappeared into masses of golden-white light, ascending through the ceiling before disappearing. Just then, Sam sat bolt upright in bed with a gasp. Startled by something she couldn't describe, she looked around her room and then down at herself. Breathing a sigh of relief that there appeared to be nothing untoward, she settled down again. However, she couldn't shake the unassailable feeling that something was somehow different.

**2003**

Here she is. The woman he has seen in his mind since Shamda's people had found him. He even dreams about her in the night, but all he can surmise is that he must have loved her in another lifetime. How could he have not? When he had first seen the strangers in this place, the strength of feeling he had felt on seeing her was too much to cope with; so much that he felt a desire to run away. Such feelings, to him, seemed like vulnerability. He does not know himself so how can he let others see him like this?

But there is something different about her: the way she looks at him; the way she talks to him and how she talks about him. She obviously cares about him deeply enough, in a different way to her three companions. He has to ask her – he has to know – whether there was anything... because while he feels all this, there is uncertainty too.

In one sentence, his dreams come crashing down, but why does he still feel like this? How does he still feel like this? He looks at her and there's something about him around her, as though she holds the key to who he is.

That's why he's going home.

**2004**

It couldn't have been under any more embarrassing circumstances, but he was glad to be back. He had worked out why he had left the Ancients the last time. He could do so much more now. So much more. Except this.

She was in mourning for her father. She had also called off her engagement.

What remained was for him to be the best friend he could be to her. And he was going to be. She needed her team around her right now.

After a barrage of medical tests, he lie awake in his room on-base. With a silent sigh, he closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep.

**2005**

Sam had returned from Area 51. It felt as though she had been gone years instead of a few months. She had only come back to help deploy the Mark IX, but hopefully Mitchell would be able to persuade her to stay. They needed her more here than they ever could in Area 51... _he_ needed her. He and she had called each other her many times from when she had left, to when he had missed the last ship to Atlantis and afterwards.

They stood at the end of the gate ramp as a team with Teal'c and Mitchell; and Vala, who literally couldn't live without him. In front of the active wormhole, they each checked their weapons. Daniel glanced at Sam next to him, unable to believe that she was there again. With the exception of Vala, they were almost a team again; a sentiment reflected in Mitchell's exuberant remark about the _band_ being back together again.

Daniel smiled shyly when Sam caught his eye during one such glance. She smiled the smile that had always taken his breath away since he had returned from Vis Uban. Vala not-so quietly fumed at something, and Teal'c remained still with the patience of a weary saint as Cam took to rolling his eyes every so often.

Sam glanced up at the Stargate. She then said quietly, "I missed you the most."

Surprised, he remained rooted to the spot as he tried to work out the meaning of her words. Sensing this, Sam smiled bashfully before quickly kissing him on the cheek. As Cam and Teal'c exchanged a surprised look, Daniel stared at Sam, while Vala glared at both of them accusingly.

As the meaning of her words slowly sank in, Daniel couldn't stop grinning. Trying to stop grinning, he asked, "Seriously?"

Sam looked happier than he had ever seen her as she watched him. She nodded and said, "I couldn't be any more serious, Daniel Jackson."

Vala angrily walked past them; angry just not at them, but also at General Landry for apparently _trusting_ Nerus. After ranting at them, she walked through the 'gate, leaving behind four bemused members of SG-1. When Landry gave them the go-ahead, Cam walked in between Sam and Daniel, and patted them on the shoulders. He said,

"Congratulations, you two... no hanky panky 'til we get home, okay? I don't want a black mark bigger than a nuke on my personal record for my first mission with the whole band."

Cam waited for them next to the Stargate, and then Teal'c smirked at them. Of course, Teal'c didn't need to say anything – he never had to. All the same, Daniel and Sam reddened slightly at what the expression on his face implied. They joined their team-mates at the top of the ramp, and the four members of SG-1 walked through the 'gate.


	29. Not Enough

**Prompt #034 – Not Enough**

_**Summary: **Daniel promises Sam something... but she knows that it's not enough. Poem._

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **8_

_**Category: **Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **__A/U, Angst, Drama, Episode-related, Poetry, Relationship_

_**A/N: **__tag for Threads. Sam's PoV. I'm sorry, I really am..._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In lovers' embrace, we two entwined

Two drifters given a ball of twine

Within our hearts, love remains enshrined

He promises he'll always be mine

-

-

In lovers' embrace, we two entwined

To me, he has given his whole heart

To him, I have given mine as well

From him, I can't stand to be apart

-

-

In lovers' embrace, we two entwined

But knoweth I much better than he

I know he must surely go again

He will always go beyond the sea

-

-

His promise now means nothing to me

But my words to him mean more to he

For bright pastures new will always beck'n

But forever I will wait, I reck'n

-

-

For there never will be a second


	30. Sunrise

**Prompt #31 – Sunrise**

_**Summary: **He'd never really taken the time to watch something he'd taken for granted_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel, Jack/Daniel (not anything serious; just part of a joke)_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **post Ark of Truth _

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **__A/U, Episode-related, Hurt/Comfort, Relationship_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel rubbed his aching arm and then winced when it started hurting even more. He thought, in consolation, that at least Adria would never have a chance to throw him against a wall again. He exhaled, gritting his teeth as the pain faded into an almighty ache once more. But he was thankful to be alive; he was thankful that his friends were alive too, although Mitchell was still in pretty bad shape. Daniel was still trying to work out how Teal'c had managed to come away unscathed when he distinctly remembered him being shot by Ori soldiers.

From his seat at the window, he could see the sunrise; deep shades of orange emblazoned across the eastern skies. This was the dawning of a brand new day. For the first time in a very long time, he had woken up without the thought that there was an enemy out there to fight. It scared him sometimes – as though the enemy had been like some kind of reality check or safety net.

No, he wasn't going to be sad. Everyone could move on with their lives now. For once, he could appreciate the smaller things in life. For once, he didn't have to be anywhere; and for once, he could focus on the present. He allowed himself to smile a little as he shifted in his chair, his head resting against a pillow. He leaned back in his chair, and then looked behind him in concern.

He watched with another smile as Sam moved in her sleep, one of her hands moving to his side of their bed. Soon, she would be gone, but she would come back eventually. But for now, she was there and that was all that mattered.

With that same contented smile, he looked back at the sunrise again. He hadn't felt the way he was feeling in a long time. It was as though everything was falling into place. It wasn't often that he felt like that.

"How much morphine has Carolyn given you?"

He turned to look at Sam again. She was sitting in the middle of their bed, watching him. She moved her hair from her shoulder. He smiled again on seeing her doing that, remembering the feel of it between his fingers through all the phases of growth since she had decided to grow it longer.

He said with a happy sigh, "It's not the morphine. I just feel really happy today."

She said, concerned, "Honey, come back to bed. You need to rest."

He shook his head, his gaze moving back to the sunrise unfolding before him. He said quietly, "I'm fine here." He glanced back at her with a lazy smile. "You could always join me."

"Guess I'd have to in case you manage somehow to get abducted by the sunrise."

He smiled weakly, his gaze moving back to the window as she got out of the bed. He looked down on feeling her touch his hand, and he saw her crouched by his chair. She smiled as she watched the sunrise. Her smile faded as she looked back at him, and she asked,

"How are you feeling?"

"I'll live," he answered abruptly. He didn't want her to worry any more than she already was, but it was hard to stick to that when he was in as much pain as he was. He turned over his hand to hold hers. He said with a groan, "It's nice not having to be anywhere. I don't think my arm could take it."

She carefully removed his shirt to see the extensive bruising on his left arm. She looked at it, mindful not to directly touch it. She looked at him again and he looked down at his other hand awkwardly. He admittedly liked having her fuss over him at times, but he felt a stab of guilt on seeing a glimmer in her eyes of how upset she had been, when they were aboard the Odyssey, on learning the full extent of his injuries. He mumbled something indistinctly, and then looked at her again.

He said, "It's fine. Don't worry about it."

Despite his words, she still looked worried as she looked out of the window. He ignored the pain in his arm as he lifted it. He smoothed the back of head and the shoulder nearest to him. He said, "For once, I don't want to go to work, but we've got to see Mitchell. Teal'c said he's doing okay. He's getting annoyed by Vala... which is a relief in more ways than one."

She rested her head on his knee, and he continued to caress her head. Some time later, she said quietly, "Yeah." She reached up to hold his hand, stopping his caresses. "It was pretty close out there. It makes watching this sunrise all the more meaningful."

She turned so that she was looking up at him. She reached up to touch his jaw, and she smiled a little. She said, "I've never been so relieved to see another day with you." Her smile wavered a little but she was determined that she wouldn't cry now. "Are you sure you're okay?"

He shrugged and then closed his eyes briefly, regretting moving his shoulders like that. He said, "We've had worse. Much worse. I think I'll bounce back." He looked down at her once more, and said, "I made breakfast while you were asleep. It got boring not having anyone to talk to."

She wanted to protest, to chastise him for risking his health by doing things without her supervision. However, for once, she let it rest. Instead, she lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it. Still holding his hand, her gaze moved back to the window.

She said softly, "General O'Neill will kill you later. I'm on leave."

He leaned back in his chair, his eyes closing. He said sleepily, "Meh, let him. He'll just snark at me for ten minutes before buying me a steak at O'Malley's." He murmured with a smile, "I love that guy."

She snorted derisively, feeling some envy at Daniel and Jack's bond. She said, "Yeah, wait 'til I tell him that. It'll spread all over the SGC and through the Stargate before he even leaves the house."

He opened his eyes to see that the good-humoured twinkle in her eyes was sharing ocular real-estate with what he thought might be jealousy. He smirked, amused that she appeared to be jealous of his long-standing friendship with Jack. He closed his eyes again, and gently patted her head. Still smirking, he joked,

"Don't worry. You're way better than Jack is... he's got sloppy in his old age."


	31. Lovers

**Prompt #023 – Lovers**

_**Summary: **Sometimes, when all is said and done, protocol is worth flouting_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Season 10 (post-Unending)_

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **__A/U, Episode-related, Fluff, PWP, Relationship, Romance, Tags_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Boot-clad feet carefully made their way through the camp site. They walked past green standard issue tents, and the camp-fire. Next to the fire, on first watch, was Teal'c. The Jaffa looked into the flames with the expression of one who had seen much in his life. The burden of years not only showed on his face, but in his hair too as white hair had appeared during one mission on the Odyssey, the details of which the boot-wearer was still having trouble coming to terms with.

He looked up at her but just nodded. He went back to look at the fire but she didn't miss the smallest of smiles on his face. She smiled, embarrassed, as she resumed walking. It hadn't always made her uncomfortable when he knew more than he was letting on – but it did now.

She stopped near a tent as Cam emerged from his tent. Cam remarked aloud, "Balmy tonight, ain't it, T?" He yawned and then stretched. Mid-stretch, he spotted her and then relaxed. He asked, concerned, "Hey, you okay?"

She replied, "I'm good. More than good." She spied another team-member briefly emerging from their own tent. "Just walking."

Cam stared at her for a moment and then smirked mischievously. He said, "Aww, well, make sure that _you_ walking doesn't result in _Jackson_ having trouble waking tomorrow." His smile vanished as he raised a finger as though to make a point. "And, remember, I will never admit to saying that... even under torture."

"Just as well... you're getting quite adept at losing your pants."

She quietly unzipped the tent next to her and poked her head into it. The light from the fire at the centre of the camp showed a dark figure reclining on top of a sleeping bag. She appeared bemused when she stopped to listen to his breathing, and then she entered the tent. She zipped it up behind her and then pulled her boots off. She peeled off her jacket, folding it before putting it with Daniel's things.

She then lie down at Daniel's side, seeing on closer inspection that he had his hands clasped behind his head. She smiled tiredly as she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his arm come around her as she slid an arm across his stomach. He turned his head so he could kiss her, and he spoke, sounding amused. He said,

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

She lifted up his t-shirt so she could reach under it to touch the bare skin. She replied, "Like that would happen." She frowned as a thought crossed her mind. She propped herself up on an elbow as she looked down at him. She felt his fingers on her cheek, and she said, "What do you think happened during those fifty years? I've asked Teal'c on several occasions, but he won't budge."

He didn't say anything for a long while, and she began to worry that perhaps he already knew something that she didn't. She was about to settle down at his side again when he spoke again, his voice sounding as though he was troubled. He said,

"I... I don't know. He seems to have come off more philosophical from it. I guess it must be a big burden for him not to tell us."

"Something bad must have happened."

He shrugged and said, "Well, there's no doubt there. I mean, we – or that other us – were there for fifty years. We would have aged; lived out our lives... perhaps even died, some of us. Logically, General Landry would have died – him being close to Jack's age."

She suddenly felt a bout of anxiety as she once again played her mental image of that time aboard the Odyssey during that time. She couldn't remember a thing, because, of course, it hadn't actually happened to her. But it nonetheless chilled her that she might have experienced a death amongst her close friends.

She instinctively snuggled up to him, scared of inevitabilities despite the harsh reality that they faced each and every day of their professional lives. He held her close to him, feeling her fear and her anxieties; he knew them all too well. He kissed her hair and whispered,

"That was another time and place. You know that." He kissed her again and said, "From the looks of things though, you saved us."

She muttered in this shoulder, upset, "Yeah, fifty years later."

"The point is that you did it and you saved the Asgard technology, and the products of their civilisation. Their sacrifice wasn't the end – we have that responsibility, to carry on – to make sure all of that isn't lost to future generations."

She nodded, and when she spoke, she sounded strained. She said, "I know. It's just hard thinking about it all. The Asgard are gone, and we were trapped on the Odyssey for half of a century." She chuckled, semi-humourlessly. "We must've driven each other nuts."

He smiled into her hair, his gaze distant as he contemplated a sneaking suspicion. He said, "I hope not..."

All smiles vanished as she settled down in his arms once again. She said, troubled, "But I would never have told you..." Her voice lowered into an even quieter whisper. "... how I felt about you."

She resumed her caresses beneath his t-shirt and he closed his eyes for a moment, savouring the feel of her hand against his skin. He then opened his eyes, and said,

"I would never have told you either. We would have been too busy trying to find a solution to the mess we were in." He sighed as he remembered years of heart ache. He said as he touched her cheek, "What changed?"

She hesitated, well aware that it was a loaded question. If she misjudged her words, he could get the impression that she had just been lonely. Of course she had, but it had been more than that... years more than that. She said quietly,

"Just contemplating that in fifty years I might never have told you that." She laughed. "It's so stupid... I always meant to tell you, but there wasn't a good time." She shrugged. "Fifty years of that? It must have been Hell."

He smiled, suddenly feeling elated. His arm still around her, he rubbed her waist slowly. He said, "You're telling me. I think Hell would have been better, being honest."

He rolled onto his side so that he was facing her. He gently touched her face with his fingertips, and he said, "You should have heard Jack's 'finally'... even Balinsky heard him and he wasn't even in the room."

She smiled as she gazed at him in the low flickering light. She said, "Pretty stupid, huh?" She reached up to stroke his hair. She said, "So... what do you want to do for the next fifty years?"

He kissed her, his fingers still caressing her cheek. His fingers moved along her neck and to her shoulder, and then down her arm and waist. After thinking for a long moment, he gazed at her with a shy smile. He glanced away briefly, and said, "Depends."

Amused at the tone of his voice, she asked, "On what?"

"On whether you want to spend the next fifty years with me, Colonel-Doctor."

Her stomach clenched and she gasped in shock as she stared at him, gleaning the implied question from his words. He looked away after a moment, feeling a little awkward as he sensed hesitation on her part. He said, sitting up,

"Don't worry about it... I'm jumping the gun here."

She got up and then straddled his lap as she sat on him, facing him. She held his head in her hands and kissed him. She smiled during the kiss on feeling his hands on her waist. She then kneaded her forehead against hers and rose above him in his embrace. She said breathlessly,

"I do."


	32. Home

**Prompt #090 – Home**

_**Summary: **A bitter-sweet homecoming, but a homecoming nonetheless_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Pre-tag to Continuum (tag to SGA's Search and Rescue)_

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **__A/U, Angst, Drama, Episode-related, Future, Relationship_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

And there she stood – her future like a rug pulled from underneath her. Woolsey left the gateroom of the SGC after dropping that bombshell, and she remained at the end of the gate ramp, stunned. She didn't know what to think – she had lost her command. What had she done wrong? As far as she had been aware, she had been allowed to come home to witness the extraction process of the last Ba'al clone captured by the SGC. There was talk of an extensive review of her year in command too, but she hadn't given that much thought.

Apparently _they_ preferred a diplomat instead of a soldier in charge of the expedition.

The humiliating nature of the news delivery didn't affect her too much. It was just that she hadn't been given any hints. What were they expecting – that she would refuse to come back if they had told her the full truth?

With a heavy heart, and a head full of conflicting thoughts, she quietly left the gateroom. At least she was home, and she had missed it. It's just that she was getting so used to Atlantis and the different dynamic there. To be suddenly thrust back into the SGC albeit totally unexpectedly, was a little much to handle right about now.

An airman took her bag, and then she ascended the stairs to the briefing room.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

De-briefed, and showered, she was back in her SGC uniform. It felt quite odd after a year of the wide and varied uniforms and smart-casual attire she had worn in Atlantis. She put on a brave face for everyone who expressed concern: General Landry, Carolyn, Doctor Lee, but truth be told, it was eating her up inside. She felt angry – as though the IOA were trying to discredit her as a person and as an experienced soldier, and a competent commander.

Despite this, she couldn't help the smile that crossed her face as she watched the Stargate's 'kawoosh' burst forth. Seeing that, in the place she had called home for a decade or so, made her finally feel as though she had come home. She waited in the gateroom as people emerged through the rippling surface of the event horizon. She watched as SG-3 emerged, and walked towards General Landry who stood closer to the gate ramp than she did.

And then the coming home feeling intensified as the next four people walked through the event horizon. She suddenly wanted to hide; to observe them without her presence to react to. Another feeling that hit her – this one with overwhelming force – was that they had carried on without her. It was illogical, of course, and arrogant too, to assume that they wouldn't, but it still came as an eye-opener.

On seeing Daniel, her body then began to ache: the same way it had for countless lonely nights in another galaxy. She watched him and the others from behind a medical team that had been on stand-by. They seemed different – as though the past year had changed them; that they had evolved. And she had missed it all. She found herself feeling a great deal of regret because of that.

As SG-3 left the gateroom, SG-1 reached General Landry, and she found herself making a face when the medical team left too. She then found herself face-to-face with her old team – or _her_ team as she had to remind herself. General Landry smirked as he left the gateroom, making a casual comment about SG-1 catching up with one another.

She suddenly felt shy under their scrutiny and then they each greeted and hugged her, with only Daniel hanging back. When at last it was Daniel's turn, she smiled at him, and said,

"You've changed."

Indeed he had. His hair was a little shorter than she remembered it; he seemed to have lost some weight; and he seemed older, as though he had spent time worrying deeply over something personal. He moved closer to her, about to kiss her, when Cam intervened. The leader of SG-1 pushed a confused Daniel out of the way, and said,

"No, y'all are gonna have time for that later. Girl's just come home... and a close-knit planetary defence team such as ourselves, has traditions."

Vala remarked, feigning exasperation, "It's never too early to swap tongues, my dear Colonel."

Vala's utterance resulted in her team-mates turning to stare at her in varying degrees of barely concealed amusement, bewilderment, and downright embarrassment. As Teal'c remained mildly amused, Cam cleared his throat and then looked back at Teal'c, cocking his head a little.

Teal'c slowly nodded, and Sam suddenly found herself being carried by him, Cam, and then Vala. Surprised at first, she protested, but her team-mates continued to carry her. When they reached the corridor, Sam turned and shot Daniel a helpless look, only to find him trying very hard not to look amused, and utterly failing.

SGC personnel parted in the corridors, watching the party go by in a mixture of bewilderment and amusement. A couple even had their mobile phones out and had taken pictures while Sam shrieked. She laughed and shouted, "Guys! Come on, this isn't funny! Put me down _right now_!"

Vala retorted, "Why? It's not as though we're going to throw you into the pool... although..."

She shot a conspiring look in Cam's direction, and Cam did the same to Teal'c. The Colonel appeared to be considering Vala's suggestion. He said, "... not a bad idea. Jackson's already in the doghouse for not stopping us. Little more couch-time when they get home isn't gonna make a difference after a year of not getting down with the missus."

Teal'c added smugly, "Indeed." He eyed Daniel briefly. "DanielJackson will most definitely attract the bulk of ColonelJackson's wrath."

Cam cleared his throat as he struggled to hold onto their team-mate. He said, "Hopefully..."

Vala too was struggling to hold onto Sam. She asked, "Where are we taking her?"

Cam exchanged a mischievous glance with Teal'c. He said, "Oh, I know exactly where to take her... the boys have the locker-room right now."

Sam struggled even harder in protest. She tried to look back at Daniel, and she said, "Daniel!"

Daniel meanwhile was having trouble staying on his feet, laughing as much as he was as he followed his team-mates. He hadn't felt as happy in so long that it felt a relief to be able to laugh like that.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel shrugged on the jacket of his base uniform as he left the Infirmary following the usual post-mission medical exams. Unusually for him and the rest of the team, he hadn't sustained much more than a couple of scratches and bruises. He hid a smile as Cam's attempts at flirting with a nurse were cut short by Vala. She sidled up to the Colonel on the gurney on which he was seated, and she stroked his arm slowly. Nurses smiled knowingly as they walked away from him, and he shot her an annoyed look, while Teal'c remained in a state of restrained mirth.

Cam tried to wrench his arm away from her, but then Vala said, "Baby-cakes, don't you think you should be tested?"

Cam frowned at what she had called him. He said, baffled, "Excuse me?!"

Vala's fingers were still on his arm, and she winked at Daniel. She then said, feigning innocence, "Well, you were too hot for me on that mission, and well, so was Colonel Reynolds..." Daniel looked away, embarrassed, and Teal'c tried his best not to grin at Cam's obvious discomfort. Vala whispered none too quietly, "... and his condom split." She shrugged as Cam looked at her, aghast. "And he hasn't been looking too well lately, so..."

Cam, annoyed, finally wrenched his arm free. Flushed with anger, he then noticed Daniel and Teal'c staring at him – the former embarrassed yet trying not to laugh, and Teal'c smirking. Cam glared at them and said, "What?! What are you looking at?"

Daniel cleared his throat and said, "Well... your very obvious discomfort." He raised his eyebrows slowly and looked from Teal'c to Vala. "It suggests she's actually telling the truth..."

Teal'c continued to smirk. He said teasingly, "It is indeed plausible as ValaMalDoran frequently disappeared with both ColonelReynolds and ColonelMitchell."

A satisfied Vala sat back and watched the squirming Colonel. He glared at his team-mates and said, "You can_not_ be serious!" He rubbed his face with his hands and said, "No wonder you guys have dating troubles... don't drag me down with you."

Daniel cleared his throat once again, and said, "Correction: don't drag us down with _you_..."

Vala hit the Colonel on the shoulder. She added, "Yeah, just because you haven't got to..." She frowned as though confused, and then she looked at Daniel innocently. "Daniel, you know these things – which of those base things is a fumble in the dark?"

Cam stared in amazement from Vala to Daniel, and then he whooped. He pointed at him triumphantly, and said, "Oh-ho! Fumble in the dark! Jackson, so that's what you've been doing when Sam was in Atlantis!"

Teal'c folded his arms across his chest and looked at Daniel meaningfully. Daniel shot Teal'c a look, and muttered, "Traitor." He blushed, and said to Vala, "That would be second base if it's just feeling." He glanced at Cam. "... and Mitchell's never been beyond that."

The rest of SG-1 were now once again focussed on a squirming Cam. Vala clearly appeared to be enjoying herself. She said, "So, as I was saying... just because you have never been beyond second base... doesn't mean you've got to taint the rest of us."

Cam retorted, annoyed again, "Screw all of you. I don't have to prove anything."

Teal'c chimed in, "And yet you are angered."

While Cam took to glaring at his team-mates, Sam walked into the Infirmary. She appeared shy, as though she felt she was intruding on something that didn't belong to her any more. The glares disappeared and they all turned to look at her and smiled. Cam shot a glare at Daniel, and then patted the space next to him on his own gurney. Cam said, "Come on, Sam, have a seat right here next to me – we're just playin'."

Vala remarked, eyeing Teal'c, "Playing with fire, more like... isn't that right, Muscles?"

Teal'c looked at Daniel with a deep-seated sense of smug amusement. He said, "Indeed."

Daniel, meanwhile, coldly regarded Cam as he in turn glared back at him fiercely. Sam looked from one to the other in bemusement. She then rolled her eyes and turned to Daniel. She said, "Are you done?"

Daniel shot a look at Cam who suddenly guffawed. The archaeologist then began to smile again as he looked back at Sam. He said, hopping off his gurney, "Yeah... just waiting for Mitchell to grow up. It could take a while."

Sam took hold of Daniel's arm as they prepared to leave the Infirmary. As the rest of SG-1 got ready to leave too, Sam turned to look at Cam. She feigned innocence, and said, "Like father, like son."

They both quietly laughed when they heard Cam groan in exasperation. He called after them, much to the bemusement of the medical staff, and to the amusement of his team. He shouted,

"For the last time, Jack O'Neill is _not_ my Daddy!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel noticed it a little when he had first seen her in the gateroom, but his, well, _everything_, on seeing her again after a whole year blew it out of the water. He noticed it again when they had left the Infirmary together, and then it practically hit him in the face when they were finally alone together, in her on-base quarters.

He turned towards her after closing the door, to find her sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed. He put down a bag an airman had just given him, putting it next to the nightstand. He then looked at her once again, realising that she appeared upset. He realised too that she was angry about something, and he had known her long enough to know that when she was angry, she would come to him when she was ready, and not a moment sooner.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, and looked down at his hands. He refrained the urge to hold her, and he waited. He was happy she was home again, but he knew that she wasn't, and he could emphasise under the circumstances. General Landry had already informed the team that Sam had been told of the IOA's decision, but for brief moments, Daniel could believe that none of that existed.

But now, alone together, reality closed in on him. He glanced at her shyly, and said, "Well, whatever the circumstances, it's good to have you back."

When she didn't reply immediately, he thought that maybe she was too upset to speak. He turned to look at her, and then flinched when she proceeded to rant. Not looking at him, she said, "Who the hell do the IOA think they are?" She angrily met his concerned gaze, and said, "I was doing fine... and those rat-bastards decided that they'd rather have someone who has no field experience of off-world missions or protocol! I thought I was doing okay..."

He shrugged and said, "Sam, come on, you knew they were already edgy about having a member of the US military being in charge of the expedition. It's not your fault – it's just politics." He turned to look at her again. He said, "So, how have you been?"

Still furious, she lie on her back and then turned away from him as she muttered obscenities. He continued to watch her – just as concerned as he had been – knowing that she needed some time to adjust to the new state of affairs. He was about to get up when he noticed that she had visibly relaxed.

She sat up, this time looking a lot calmer albeit philosophical instead of angry. She kneeled at his side put her arms around him. She kissed him, and whispered, "Sorry, I'm betting this isn't how you saw me coming home."

He closed his eyes as he rested his head against her bosom. After a year of what had felt like drifting and making do, he finally felt complete in his wife's embrace. He slipped his arms around her, and savoured the feel of her body against his.

He murmured, "I'm just glad you're here."

She held onto him tighter, her own eyes closed too. The man she had wished for each night on Atlantis, was now in her arms. She opened her eyes and kissed him again. She replied, "So am I. I missed you a lot out there."

He smiled as he looked up at her, and he said, "I missed you a lot in this galaxy." As she sat down next to him, he kissed her gently. He caressed her cheek, and said, "I don't care about the IOA's decision – I'm so proud of you. Try not to be too sore about it." He shrugged and said coyly, "We need you here more than those people could."

She smiled happily as she held his hand. For the first time since returning, she felt utterly happy. While she was still upset about the decision, it did mean that she was back with her family: the people she had worked with for most of her professional life. She looked up when he got to his feet, and he said,

"Come on, Sam, let's go home..."


	33. Sky

**Prompt #096 – Sky**

_**Summary: **The sky symbolises so much_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Post-Moebius (Season 8)_

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **__A/U, Angst, Relationship, Thoughts_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was a clear night – the type of clear night where one could see into Space. Clear nights in November also meant that it was quite cold in deepest, darkest Minnesota. Even though she had spent the last hour shivering, she didn't mind it at all. There was nothing in front of her but trees. If she let her imagination run unhindered, she could imagine that the forest was endless and eternal and all-embracing. The thought made her shiver a little more, as though she was the only person on Earth, encased in a womb of wood and leaves.

Above the tree canopy, the home arm of the Milky Way was spread across the bluish darkness in all its cold, sparkling splendour. The very low pollution levels in that isolated rural area meant that her view of the stars wasn't affected by light or vehicular pollution as it would have been from her roof in Colorado Springs.

The sky and all it contained meant so much to her. If anything, it meant a lot more to her after all those years of fighting wars beyond its parameters. To her, the sky heralded the future – when space-flight and travel would be in reach and commonplace to normal people instead of just élite bands of soldiers and scientists for planetary defence purposes.

The sky seemed endless – limitless even – although in less fanciful moments, she knew better. But it offered so many possibilities. It was a measurement of success; something to be conquered. For aeons, man had looked up at the stars – at the sky – and imagined the possibilities. The focus of human exploration had begun to shift from that on Earth to that of what lie beyond the sky. It inspired limitless ambition and inspiration in those who sought it; and it made one feel as though they were a part of something big.

Looking at the sky, she appreciated even more how fragile and yet beautiful life was. There they were, clinging to a rock that was spinning around a dying star. The thought, she knew, should terrify her, but it didn't. It made her appreciate how precious and amazing life was. Life always found a way to exist; in whatever shape or form, in whatever conditions.

On a personal note, it symbolised her own future. With the Goa'uld and Replicators' respective strangleholds on the galaxy dismantled, or destroyed in the case of the latter, who knew what she would do; what she _could_ do? Opportunities lie as open as the sky above her; opportunities that hadn't looked so feasible before. Anything was possible.

As she hugged herself to stave off the cold, she caught sight of the sparkling diamond ring on her ring finger. She smiled slightly as her gaze returned to the sky. She and the rest of her team now had the chance to get on with their lives without the threat of war or annihilation hanging over their heads.

As though on cue, someone came out onto the deck and wrapped their arms around her. She smiled, glad of the warmth that surrounded her. She hadn't felt this happy in a very long time – she had forgotten what it had felt like to love and be loved with no external pressures or life and death situations to battle. Just as he lined her collarbone with playful kisses, she found herself thinking that she could get used to it, very much.

He spoke albeit quietly, but nonetheless sounding concerned. He whispered in her ear, "You're freezing, Sam. Why don't you come back to bed?"

She relaxed in his embrace as he rubbed her arms and her hands. She replied, "It's just nice not having to be anywhere or to do anything for a while. This must be what freedom feels like."

He rested his chin on her shoulder as he hummed in reply. She turned to look at him, thinking that he had fallen asleep. However, he kissed her neck, said, "It's all over. I didn't think that when the time came – _if_ it came – I would actually miss some part of it. I like the possibilities but it scares me somewhat that there's no safety net or anything checking us from doing absolutely anything."

"It's been such a long time since any of us have ever felt like that in any way."

He smiled tiredly and gazed at her lovingly. He said, "I don't care what the future brings... at least I'll have more time with you."

"Same here." As he nuzzled her the side of her neck, she said, "Atlantis is going to be so great. I can't wait."

"Jack's been stopping me from going... but this time, he can't... unless he _really_ tries this time. He doesn't need me here any more. And besides, you'll be with me."

She rubbed one of the arms around her, the Colonel looking philosophical. She said, "It's only because he cares about you and doesn't want to lose you again." She looked at him and said, "I don't want to go through all that again either, and I'm sure that Teal'c doesn't either."

He suddenly looked guilty and was about to speak. Knowing that he was going to apologise for things beyond his control, she silenced him. Turning in his embrace, she kissed him tenderly. When it was over, he noticed that her eyes were bright with wonder and a determination to be happy. She said,

"No... I don't want to talk about that. Not tonight."

The frown on his forehead remained. He said, "Good... because neither do I."

He caressed her cheek, and kissed her. He was about to kiss her again when a light came on inside the cabin. They looked through the open door through which Daniel had emerged earlier. They saw a tired and irritable Jack stalking the hallway from his room. He glared at them and snapped,

"Hey! What have I told you two about hanky-panky? Don't bring candy to class unless you've got enough for everyone."

They exchanged a sheepish glance as Jack frowned and scratched his head. He said awkwardly, "If we do go for the group thing, at least come in and close the door. My knees are killing me."

They laughed, embarrassed as they held each other's hands. Daniel then silently gestured for Sam to go in ahead of him. He then followed, and closed the door behind him. An embarrassed Sam avoided Jack's gaze as she laughed. She said, "It wouldn't be fair on Teal'c, Sir."

"Oh, he'll go for anything..." Jack yawned and checked his watch. He then walked back to his bedroom. He said, "Anywho, don't stay up too late, kids." He stopped in front of his door and pointed at Daniel. "Daniel, for once... don't keep Carter and the rest of us awake with your sidearm. I haven't bought new furniture in years so those springs probably won't take much more than they already have."

Jack disappeared into his room, closing the door behind him. Daniel and Sam exchanged another embarrassed glance, their cheeks reddening. She turned away from him as she cleared her throat. She then said quietly, "He just likes to embarrass us, doesn't he?"

Daniel shrugged. "It's something for him to do... and it's probably pre-emptive."

They both smirked and looked away from one another. He then offered her his hand, and said, "How about you at least try not to keep everyone else awake this time?"

She laughed as she went back to his arms. She nudged him and said, "No fair! How about _you_ try not making me keep everyone awake?" She trailed her fingers across his lips and said, disappointed, "If it was warmer, we could go outside."

He touched the tip of her nose affectionately and smiled teasingly. He said, "You just want to look at the stars again."

She enthusiastically grabbed his hand and dragged him towards their room. She said, "Either way, we're gonna see stars. C'mon."


	34. Birthday

**Prompt #091 – Birthday**

_**Summary:** It's Daniel's birthday and there's only one person with whom he'd rather spend it.  
_

_**Pairings: **Sam/Daniel_

_**Rating: **T_

_**Season: **Post Ark of Truth_

_**Category: **Established Relationship _

_**Genres: **__A/U, PWP, Romance, Special Occasions_

**_A/N: _**_I think I'll put this on hiatus for now so I can write other things. Don't worry – I intend to finish this challenge; just need a break, lol. Thanks for everything, guys._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam left the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She rubbed her hair dry with another towel. She was about to say something when she stopped what she was doing. She then smiled in amusement as she watched Daniel lying asleep on the bed. He was half-naked, an open book at his side which appeared to have fallen off his chest. She shook her head as she resumed drying her hair. She then threw the towel at him. When he woke up with a start, she laughed. She said,

"So much for waiting for me."

He squinted at her without his glasses. Looking sheepish, he said, "I was resting my eyes."

She remarked sceptically, "Uh-huh." She went to the chest of drawers and rummaged. Putting some clothes on the bed, she said, "Come on, birthday boy, we have dinner reservations in a couple of hours."

He looked disappointed, and said, "Sam, this is our first vacation in, well, as long as I can remember. Can't we just hang out here?"

She paused, a shirt in her hand. She looked at him strangely, and said, "Um, Daniel, you wanted to go out for dinner."

He sat up and put his glasses on. He said, "Well, you know, that was before I realised how much I missed sleeping." He stretched and then looked at her, puzzled. He said, "Wait, didn't you say _couple of hours_?" He appeared bemused. "Why are you getting ready so early... even _you_ don't take that long."

She looked at him sternly as he smirked and looked away. She tossed clothes at him, smiling smugly when he flinched in surprise. She said, "Yeah, no post-dinner present then."

He folded his arms across his chest and huffed. He said, "Why break the habit of a lifetime? It's not like the Ori gave us much time off to get it on."

"Typical, Daniel. Typical." She sighed, feeling stressed as she eyed her phone. She shook her head and said, "Fuck them."

He looked around at her in surprise on hearing her swear. He shrugged and said, deadpan, "Well, if that's your thing."

She threw more clothes at him and laughed wearily. She said, "Fuck you too, Daniel." She nodded at him. "So are you getting dressed? Let's go for a walk before dinner. I'm through with living on a knife-edge. Also..." She picked up her phone and dropped it again. "I'm sick of Cam practically winking down the phone, and Vala making really outrageous and..." She smirked. "... okay, accurate predictions. Oh, and there's Teal'c. He doesn't even need to say anything in order to out-mock the rest."

He chuckled softly. "You think you got problems? I've got all of them _plus _Jack sending me messages. They really need to stop being SG-perverts."

She sighed and then laughed. He looked at her curiously but she didn't answer. Instead, his curious expression turned to one of downright speechlessness when she undid her towel, dropping it around her feet.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel reached across the table for her hand. He still had trouble believing that he was here – alive and free. He put thoughts of their recent mission to the back of his mind – he wanted to enjoy himself with the woman he loved. The entire week had been one, long albeit blissful bubble, separating the two of them from the grim realities of work and responsibility.

She smiled that smile that never failed to take his breath away. The prospect of never seeing her again had been the scariest of all. Everything else, he would have got by; he would have made do, but not without her. She gave him a reason to fight; something he had lost a long time ago until the day they had first given themselves to one another.

Sam's eyes focussed on the candle in between them. She then looked out across the lake at the sunset. His gaze followed hers, and he said softly, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

She hummed in reply and looked at him. He looked back at her, and he realised that for the first time in a long time, she looked completely free – the burden of war lifted from her shoulders. She couldn't have looked more beautiful to him than she did in that moment. She said,

"Totally. It feels like everything else doesn't exist. I like it."

They fell quiet when the waiter brought their meals. They nodded in thanks when he had finished. As they started eating, Sam said, "You know, if the weather holds out tomorrow, we could go for a swim." She briefly looked out at the lake again. "It's been a long while since I've swam in a non-work environment."

Daniel nodded as he toyed with his food. He knew that she was referring discreetly to times off-world when they had each taken turns bathing in lakes on overnight missions. His cheeks suddenly reddened as he thought of something, and he smiled. He looked at her, and said, "Hey, remember the time when..."

She promptly blushed and cleared her throat. She said, "Um, Daniel, we don't need to talk about that right now."

She shook her head, trying to shake the memory of a past indiscretion from her mind but failing. She laughed quietly, and said, "Cam had an inkling we broke protocol. He just didn't want to have to explain to the General that..."

She trailed off, too embarrassed to finish what she was going to say because of their public surroundings. She decided to change the subject when it looked as though he wouldn't let it go. She nodded in the direction of his plate. She said, "So... how's the steak?"

He shrugged and said, "Well, I said 'medium-rare', but it's clearly 'well-done'."

She looked bemused at his passive expression. She said, "Knowing you, you'd tip the waiter anyway."

"Not the waiter's fault. It's just obvious that the chef and I differ on what medium-rare looks like."

She leaned back in her chair, ready to call a waiter over. However, Daniel shook his head. He said, "It's fine. It's not poison."

"It's also not what you ordered." She sighed in despair as she relaxed in her seat again. "You are one stubborn man."

He shrugged again and made a non-committal noise. He nodded at her plate. He said, "How's the salmon?"

She made a face and said, "It's a little salty, but it's okay. It's nice." She lifted a forkful of her food to his lips. "Here, try some."

He nodded appreciatively as he chewed it. When he finished chewing, he said, "Hmm, you know, that's actually quite good with the salad." He then looked at her coyly. "So... wanna try some steak or are you still convinced you'll put on ten pounds from one bite?"

Shocked at his remark, she threw a piece of salad at him. She said, "Daniel!" She then smiled shyly. She quietly said, "I feel fat just looking at it." She nodded encouragingly. "It looks nice though."

He regarded her sceptically. He said, "You're not going to get fat, Sam." He shrugged. "I wouldn't care if you did."

She made a face and then frowned at her food. "It's easy for you. You don't have to worry about that."

He raised his eyebrows, and said, "Oh yeah, I do... it's a struggle to stay a healthy weight. I wouldn't mind so much but both Janet and Carolyn used to kill me when my weight dropped. I swear, before working with you people, I never had problems with keeping weight on."

She put her knife down and rested her chin in her hand as she watched him. She said, amused, "That's only because you forget to eat, especially after missions." Her smile faded. "Don't forget to add me to list of people who'll kill you if I feel your ribs so easily again."

He smiled briefly, and he said. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I like that you worry about me."

"It's been an SG-job for a long time... but it's mostly on me these days." She frowned. "Not a nice job with _your_ track record."

He gazed at her seriously for a moment. He then said, "And right back at ya, Colonel-Doctor."

She sat back in her chair and watched him. She didn't like the painful memories that resurfaced as she considered what they had both said. Changing the subject, she said, "Hey, you know what I like about going on vacation with you?"

He appeared surprised, and he said, "Uh... having my body all to yourself?"

They both started laughing. She then said, shaking her head, "Not just that." She sighed happily as she watched him in the candlelight. She said, "It's silly... but it's just that we both get called 'Doctor Jackson'. It never happens at the mountain... although some of the new recruits call me 'Colonel Jackson'."

He remarked semi-seriously, "You know, I want my name back. You're having way too much fun with it."

She smirked, and said, "Well, someone should."

"Well, I'm glad it's you. Go forth and have as much fun as you want."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel groaned tiredly. He closed his eyes and rested his head against Sam's as he suddenly felt very tired yet just as sated. When he found the energy to speak, he could barely manage anything above a whisper. He said, "I never thought that I'd even consider I might be getting too old for this." He kissed her damp neck. "Thanks for the birthday present. This has got to be my best birthday ever."

She turned to face him on the bed. She rested her forehead against his, and she kissed him. She said, "So far."

He managed to laugh a little, and he opened his eyes to look at her. He wasn't wearing his glasses but he could see her clearly as she was within his focal length. He found himself thinking at particular moments that she couldn't look any more beautiful to him. However, to him, at this particular moment, she seemed more beautiful to him than ever. He smiled. She was happy, and it was him making her happy. It suddenly hit him that he could die then and there, knowing that she loved him and that she knew how he felt about her. The thought, while startling at first, left him feeling a sense of great peacefulness with his life.

He said, "Well, that's a given." He stifled a yawn. "I'm not sure I'll be much use to you tomorrow. I don't think I've ever been this tired after making love."

She wrapped her arms around his naked form, and she smiled tiredly. She said, "That's because you weren't pressed for time for once." She chuckled as she held him close, her cheek resting against his shoulder. She blew out a long breath, and she said, "Happy Birthday, Doctor Jackson."

He smiled drowsily as he looked down at the fair head on his chest. He held her tight as he closed his eyes and began to fall asleep. He kissed the top of her head, and said, "It definitely is, Doctor Jackson."


End file.
